Every year, 33,000 people in Europe die from infections with antibiotic-resistant germs.
20200411AD
Plan B shows concepts that can prevent the spread of dangerous germs.

Factory farming, lack of hospital hygiene, premature antibiotics - the causes of the spread are many. Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest medical challenges of the century.

Ron Hendrix has been dealing with infectious diseases in hospitals for many years. The Dutchman is a hygiene doctor and advises a German clinic association in the Münsterland. "We recognized early in the Netherlands that we have to fight the spread of germs as uncompromisingly as the actual infections. To do this, however, we need to know as quickly as possible which germs we are dealing with." Hendrix has ensured that German clinics also reopen their laboratories. Many German hospitals had given up their own laboratory diagnostics in the early 2000s for cost reasons. Hendrix thinks the wrong path.

Pig rearing without antibiotics
In Denmark, farmers have come under pressure after proven reproduction of antibiotic-resistant germs by factory farming. They voluntarily decided to massively reduce the use of antibiotics. Pig farmer Sören Bonde is one of 2,000 ranchers trying to raise their fattening pigs with no antibiotics. With great success.

With phages against antibiotic-resistant germs
In Belgium, medical doctor Patrick Soentjens was able to convince the Ministry of Health to approve phages as a therapy for stubborn antibiotic-resistant germs. Phages are special viruses that kill bacteria. Soentjens is certain that this well-known but almost forgotten medicine will save many lives: "If we want to win the fight against resistance, we have to use all promising methods, and phages are definitely one of them. There are numerous proven success stories Eastern Europe." Belgium is the first western European country to recognize the phages as medicines.

Factory farming, lack of hospital hygiene, premature antibiotics - the causes of the spread are many. Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest medical challenges of the century.

Ron Hendrix has been dealing with infectious diseases in hospitals for many years. The Dutchman is a hygiene doctor and advises a German clinic association in the Münsterland. "We recognized early in the Netherlands that we have to fight the spread of germs as uncompromisingly as the actual infections. To do this, however, we need to know as quickly as possible which germs we are dealing with." Hendrix has ensured that German clinics also reopen their laboratories. Many German hospitals had given up their own laboratory diagnostics in the early 2000s for cost reasons. Hendrix thinks the wrong path.

In Denmark, farmers have come under pressure after proven reproduction of antibiotic-resistant germs by factory farming. They voluntarily decided to massively reduce the use of antibiotics. Pig farmer Sören Bonde is one of 2,000 ranchers trying to raise their fattening pigs with no antibiotics. With great success.

In Belgium, medical doctor Patrick Soentjens was able to convince the Ministry of Health to approve phages as a therapy for stubborn antibiotic-resistant germs. Phages are special viruses that kill bacteria. Soentjens is certain that this well-known but almost forgotten medicine will save many lives: "If we want to win the fight against resistance, we have to use all promising methods, and phages are definitely one of them. There are numerous proven success stories Eastern Europe." Belgium is the first western European country to recognize the phages as medicines.