TW: Growing Threat of Superbugs

The following is from the latest LCG TW News & Prophecy:

Growing threat of super bugs.

For years, scientists have warned about the growing strength and drug resistance of bacteria. In Europe, nations are reporting drug resistance of up to 50% with some bacterial infections. This means that antibiotics used to treat certain bacterial infections are failing half of the time. Experts cite overprescribing and misuse as major reasons that antibiotics are failing (Reuters, November 17, 2011).Public health experts are fearful because of the lack of new and more powerful antibiotics. It is not economically feasible for drug companies to research and develop “last line of defense” drugs that will not be commonly used.

Jesus warned that disease epidemics–“pestilences”–would be one sign of the end of the age (Luke 21:11), and that they would be part of the “beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). As time goes on, we should expect to see more virulent and difficult-to-treat outbreaks of disease. No doubt the drug resistance being built up by the agents of infectious disease will play into God’s end-time scenario.

Notice some items from secular sources:

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed three cases of a new flu virus, which originated in pigs but apparently spread from person to person, in three Iowa children.” http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/story/2011-11-24/CDC-confirms-cases-of-new-swine-flu-virus/51384636/1

Sweden concerned over ‘useless’ flu vaccine stockpiles

“Tamiflu, the medication used to combat influenza, is useless in large parts of the world.”March 3, 2009 http://www.thelocal.se/17956/20090303/

CDC Warns of New Swine Flu Strain

ABC News – Nov 25, 2011 excerpt…U.S. health officials remain on the alert for additional cases of a new swine flu strain that infected three Iowa children this month…

The new flu strain is resistant to two commonly used antiviral drugs, rimantidine and amantadine, but based upon their genetic structure, would likely respond to osteltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2011/11/25/new-swine-flu-strain/

Relatively soon, serious pestilences are prophesied as they are part of what Jesus called “the beginning of sorrows”:

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:7-8)

If humans quit eating pigs, the “swine flu” problem would probably go away. But since many still do, it is possible that something more serious may happen.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2011, 2012, or 2013? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What is the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous?
Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilence? What will it bring and when?