Just six people died, but officials around the world feared that avian viruses might swap genes with the human variety to form an extremely virulent hybrid. In short, a flu pandemic is waiting to happen. Meantime, defenses against bacteria are crumbling. Superstrains are emerging that prove resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics. The costs are enormous.
Bacteria are responsible for illnesses ranging from cholera to meningitis.
And we help build bacterial resistance by over-prescribing antibiotics and using them in animal feed and even household cleaning agents. One of the most profound impacts on medicine may come next year, when scientists expect to complete most of the human genome map. By identifying the genes that shape our physical character, researchers will be able to determine the mechanisms of disease. It will allow doctors to screen patients for risk of, say, cancer, and work out a course to minimize it. The promise is considerable.