The Growing Global Threat Of Antibiotic Resistance Ielts Reading Answers Top Patched Link

: Resistant strains enter our bodies through the food chain and livestock raised for consumption. IELTS Reading Answer Key

Addressing this multifaceted existential threat requires a coordinated, global "One Health" approach that bridges human medicine, veterinary science, and environmental management. Governments must enforce strict regulations to ban growth-promoting antibiotics in farming and eliminate over-the-counter sales for humans. Investment in rapid diagnostic technologies is also essential, allowing doctors to identify pathogens within minutes and prescribe targeted treatments instead of guessing with broad-spectrum drugs. On an individual level, public education campaigns must dismantle the misconception that antibiotics cure every ailment, preserving these precious medical resources for future generations. IELTS Reading Questions Questions 1–7

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) pose a particularly severe threat. Immunocompromised patients are vulnerable to resistant strains like carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which are resistant to last-resort antibiotics. The economic burden is staggering: in the USA alone, treating resistant infections costs an estimated $4.6 billion annually. Patients with resistant infections stay in hospital longer, require more expensive drugs, and have mortality rates up to twice as high as those with treatable infections.

A prediction regarding the future mortality rate of drug-resistant infections.

Without reliable antibiotics, everyday medical procedures like transplants and 12. ____________ will carry a high risk of fatal 13. ____________. To fix this, a unified global strategy known as the 14. ____________ approach must be implemented across human, animal, and environmental sectors. Answer Key and Explanations 1. iii (A historical turning point in disease management) : Resistant strains enter our bodies through the

Why do pharmaceutical companies avoid developing new antibiotics? A) They are too difficult to manufacture. B) Governments do not allow testing. C) Short treatment courses and resistance reduce profit. D) Existing antibiotics are fully effective.

Antibiotic resistance is accelerated when drugs are misused, such as when they are prescribed for (6) __________ infections, which do not respond to such treatment. Additionally, the agricultural industry contributes to the problem because (7) __________ are often given antibiotics to encourage growth rather than to cure sickness. If this trend continues, medical procedures that rely on (8) __________ antibiotics, such as organ transplants, will become too dangerous to perform.

Furthermore, the problem is amplified by the use of antibiotics in livestock farming. Bacteria can develop resistance on farms and enter the human food chain through contaminated meat, crops grown with manure, and other pathways, creating a cyclical process of infection and re-infection that is very difficult to control.

Compounding this medical crisis is a stagnant pharmaceutical pipeline. For decades, major drug companies have largely abandoned the research and development of new antibiotics. The economic reality is that antibiotics offer a notoriously poor return on investment compared to chronic disease medications. While a drug for hypertension or diabetes must be taken daily for the rest of a patient's life, a course of antibiotics is typically completed in a week. Furthermore, any newly discovered breakthrough antibiotic is immediately restricted by doctors as a "last resort" defense, ensuring very low sales volumes. Consequently, scientists are running out of options faster than they can create them. often misused in agriculture.

Found in Paragraph B: "At its core, antibiotic resistance is a natural evolutionary process." 8. (genetic) mutations

The crisis is primarily driven by human misuse and overuse of antimicrobial agents. In many developing nations, antibiotics are available over-the-counter without a doctor's prescription, leading to self-medication for viral infections like the common cold, against which antibiotics are completely useless. In developed countries, patients frequently pressure physicians for prescriptions, or fail to complete their full course of medication once they feel better. Stopping treatment early leaves the most resilient bacteria alive, giving them the perfect environment to mutate and develop full resistance to the drug.

Complete the summary using the list of words/phrases below.

Paragraph E details the financial impact of alternative drugs: "These alternative medications are frequently significantly more expensive, require longer hospital stays..." higher healthcare costs

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The consequences of antibiotic resistance are severe. Infections caused by resistant bacteria are more difficult to treat and can lead to longer hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and increased mortality. Moreover, the loss of effective antibiotics threatens our ability to treat a wide range of infections, from common illnesses like pneumonia and tuberculosis to life-threatening conditions like sepsis and meningitis.

Preventive treatment, often misused in agriculture.