The Study of Germs

GERMS <Tab/>For as long as humans have been on this planet, the microscopic life forms that we call germs, or pathogens, have been here too. For all this time they have been multiplying in the soil, in the water, and in our bodies. They are in the mouth, on the skin, and even in important organs. But that is not always a bad thing, because humans could not live without …

…also one way to combat the development of resistance. <Tab/>The optimism of the early antibiotic era has diminished. New diseases emerge, and we have seen old diseases re-emerge, sometimes in deadly new drug-resistant forms. We must come up with new ways to use existing drugs, use new combinations of drugs and develop new drugs. Unfortunately, with the speed of global travel today, a dangerous infection can spread worldwide within hours.