The recent discovery by Australian scientists of a protein responsible for multi-drug resistant bacteria was hailed as a huge step forward in the global fight against superbugs.But while such medical discoveries are vital, understanding the social, economic and political contexts of our reliance on antibiotics and chronic misuse is an equally important part of this fight. ‘Nightmare’ superbug arrives in US Health officials have reported the first case in the US of a patient with an infection resistant to a last-resort antibiotic.