When Germs Will Not Harm Anyone

GERMS, or microorganisms, are essential to life. They make up a considerable portion of earth’s soil and of our own bodies. As the box “Kinds of Germs,” on page 7, notes, “bacteria inhabit our bodies by the trillions.” Most of these are beneficial​—in fact, vital—​to health. Although only relatively few cause disease, we can be confident that, in time, no germs will harm anyone.

Before we examine the means by which all harmful effects of germs will be eliminated, let’s consider current efforts to combat disease-causing germs. Besides examining the accompanying box “What You Can Do,” consider the efforts of health professionals to combat resistant germs.

Global Strategies

Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the former director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), described efforts being made. In the Report on Infectious Diseases 2000, “Overcoming Antimicrobial Resistance,” she pointed to a need to develop “a global strategy to contain resistance” of germs. She also spoke of building “alliances involving all healthcare providers,” emphasizing: “We have an opportunity to launch a massive effort against infectious diseases.”

In 2001, WHO proposed a “Global Strategy for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance.” This document presented a plan directed to health-care providers and people in general regarding “what to do and how to do it.” The strategy included educating people on how to avoid getting sick, as well as providing instruction to them on how to use antibiotics and other antimicrobials when they get an infection.

In addition, health-care workers​—doctors and nurses as well as others working in hospitals and nursing homes—​were urged to take better measures to avoid the spread of infection. Sadly, studies have revealed that many health professionals still neglect to wash their hands or change gloves between patients.

Surveys have also shown that doctors prescribe antibiotics when they shouldn’t. One reason for this is that people pressure their doctor to give an antibiotic as a quick cure. So doctors comply, simply to please patients. Often doctors neither take the time to educate their patients nor have the means available to identify the infecting germ. Also, they may prescribe newer but more expensive broad-spectrum antibiotics. And this too contributes to the drug-resistance problem.

Other areas addressed in WHO’s Global Strategy are hospitals, national health systems, food producers, pharmaceutical companies, and lawmakers. The report encourages cooperation among all of them in order to combat the global menace of drug-resistant germs. But will such a program work?

Obstacles to Success

The WHO Global Strategy alluded to a major obstacle to solving health problems. It is the profit motive​—money. The Bible says that the love of it is responsible for “all sorts of injurious things.” (1 Timothy 6:9, 10) WHO urges: “Interactions with the pharmaceutical  industry must also be considered, including appropriate control of the access of sales representatives to clinical staff and monitoring industry-sponsored educational programmes for providers.”

Drug companies have aggressively presented their products to doctors. Now they do so directly to the public through TV advertising. This has evidently contributed to the overuse of drugs, which, in turn, has been a major factor in the proliferation of drug-resistant germs.

In its chapter on the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals, the WHO Global Strategy states: “Veterinarians in some countries earn as much as 40% or more of their income by the sale of drugs, so there is a disincentive to limit antimicrobial use.” As is well documented, resistant germs have emerged and flourished because of the inordinate use of antibiotics.

The production of antibiotics is, in fact, astounding. In the United States alone, some 50 million pounds [20 million kg] of antibiotics are produced annually! Of the world’s total production, only about half is used for people. The rest is either sprayed on crops or fed to animals. Antibiotics are commonly mixed with the feed of animals raised for food to speed their growth.

 The Role of Governments

Significantly, the Executive Summary of the WHO Global Strategy states: “Much of the responsibility for implementation of the strategy will fall on individual countries. Governments have a critical role to play.”

To be sure, a number of governments have developed programs to contain antimicrobial resistance, with emphasis on collaboration inside and outside their national boundaries. These programs include better tracking of antimicrobial use and resistant microbes, improved infection control, appropriate use of antimicrobials in medicine and agriculture, research to understand resistance, and development of new medicines. WHO’s Report on Infectious Diseases 2000 was not optimistic. Why?

The report pointed to “a lack of political will on the part of governments whose priorities may not be public health.” It added: “Disease​—and therefore resistance—​also thrives in conditions of civil unrest, poverty, mass migration and environmental degradation where large numbers of people are exposed to infectious diseases.” Unfortunately,  these very problems are ones that human governments have never been able to solve.

However, the Bible tells of a government that will not only solve the problems that spawn disease but also eliminate sickness altogether. You may think that some germs will always cause harm, but there are good reasons to believe that the future will be far better than that.

When No Germ Will Cause Harm

The Bible prophet Isaiah long ago pointed to a superhuman government and identified its ruler. Note the prophecy, as it appears in the King James version of the Bible: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”​—Isaiah 9:6, italics ours.

Who is this child, this prince, who would receive rulership? Note how he was identified even before his birth. The angel Gabriel told the virgin girl Mary: “Look! you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to call his name Jesus. This one will be great . . . , and there will be no end of his kingdom.”​—Luke 1:31-33.

When Jesus reached physical maturity, he provided evidence that he was indeed the promised Ruler of God’s Kingdom government. Not only did Jesus go through the land proclaiming “the good news of the kingdom” but he also demonstrated his power to eliminate all sickness and disease. The Bible reports that “great crowds approached him, having along with them people that were lame, maimed, blind, dumb, and many otherwise, and they fairly threw them at his feet, and he cured them; so that the crowd felt amazement as they saw the dumb speaking and the lame walking and the blind seeing.”​—Matthew 9:35; 15:30, 31.

Yes, whatever the disease or infirmity a person suffered, Jesus cured it. He even raised to life several people who had died! (Luke 7:11-17; 8:49-56; John 11:38-44) True, those who were healed, and even those resurrected, eventually died. Still, Jesus’ miracles showed what he will do in the future for people who live on earth under Kingdom rule. The Bible promises that at that time “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’”​—Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 21:3, 4.

Today, as we are all painfully aware, everyone is subject to sickness and death. Germs harm millions, often proving fatal. Yet, the human body is so marvelously designed that some wonder why anybody gets sick. Medical doctor Lewis Thomas wrote of the vital role of bacteria and observed that illness comes about “like an accident.” He said: “It may be that the defense mechanisms of affected patients are flawed in some special way.”

Indeed, those with strong immune systems rarely, if ever, suffer from bacterial infection. Nonetheless, eventually people succumb to old age and death. The Bible says that sin inherited from the originally perfect first human, Adam, is the flaw responsible for sickness and death. “Through one man,” the Bible explains, “sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.”​—Romans 5:12.

God, however, sent his Son to earth to provide his perfect life as a ransom to release humans from the effects of sin. (Matthew 20:28) The Bible explains: “The wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23; 1 John 5:11) Under the rule of God’s Kingdom, the healing effects of Christ’s ransom sacrifice will be realized. Then all germs, even those that now cause disease, will do no harm to anyone.

Does it not make sense to learn about the Kingdom government promised in the Bible, which will provide solutions to mankind’s problems? Jehovah’s Witnesses would be delighted to help you learn more.

[Box on page 9]

What You Can Do

What can you do to minimize the threat of resistant germs? The World Health Organization has provided some guidelines. First, it outlined measures we can take to reduce disease and the spread of infection. Second, it described how people can improve their use of antimicrobials.

Logically, the best way to reduce disease and its spread is to do whatever is necessary to keep healthy. What can you do to avoid getting sick?

Measures to Avoid Getting Sick

1. Do your best to obtain the following three things: proper nutrition, sufficient exercise, and adequate rest.

2. Practice personal hygiene. Authorities emphasize hand washing as the single most effective procedure to avoid getting ill and to keep from passing infection on to others.

3. Ensure the safety of the food you and your family eat. Be especially conscious that your hands as well as the area where meals are prepared are clean. Also, be sure that the water used to wash your hands and food is clean. Since germs flourish in food, cook meats thoroughly. Store and chill food properly.

4. In lands where serious disease is transmitted by flying insects, limit your nighttime or early-morning outdoor activity when these insects are most active. And regularly use protective netting.

5. Vaccines can help train your immune system to fight off some germs that are common where you live.

Use of Antimicrobials

1. Consult a health professional before buying or taking any antibiotic or antimicrobial. Direct-to-consumer promotions often benefit the seller more than the buyer.

2. Don’t press your doctor for an antibiotic prescription. If you do, he may give you one only because he fears losing you as a patient. Colds, for example, are caused by viruses, and antibiotics do not cure colds. Taking an antibiotic when you have a virus may suppress helpful bacteria, perhaps allowing resistant ones to breed.

3. Don’t insist on the latest medicine​—it may not be the best for you and may cost you far more than is necessary.

4. Learn about any medication from a reliable source: What is it for? What are the possible side effects? What are its drug interactions and other factors that might make ingesting it dangerous?

5. If the antibiotic medication is truly appropriate, you are generally encouraged to take the full course that is prescribed, even if you feel better before you finish taking it all. The last portion helps ensure that all of the infection is gone.

[Picture on page 10]

Under God’s righteous government, people will enjoy life without any germs that cause harm