The Superbug spill: When medicine goes rogue
Key takeaways
- Pharmaceuticals have been found in waterways almost everywhere in the world, fueling antibiotic-resistant superbugs that no longer respond to treatment.
- It broke every bone on the right side of her face and set her on a years-long journey through multiple reconstructive surgeries.
- Six years on, Carter received a prosthetic implant to reconstruct her cheekbone.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Pharmaceuticals have been found in waterways almost everywhere in the world, fueling antibiotic-resistant superbugs that no longer respond to treatment. Is there a way out?
https://p.dw.com/p/5Do1UThe residue of pills has been found in rivers and soils all over the world Image: Aleksandra Sagan/Canadian Press/empics/picture alliance Advertisement At 25, Vanessa Carter was in a devastating car crash in Johannesburg. It broke every bone on the right side of her face and set her on a years-long journey through multiple reconstructive surgeries.
Six years on, Carter received a prosthetic implant to reconstruct her cheekbone. Perhaps the worst of her ordeal was over. But one day, she noticed some pus seeping from her face. It was an infection. And for nearly a year, it wouldn't go away.