Actor Bill Pullman in Seattle, joining local doctors in fight against Superbugs

It's a health topic that doesn't get a lot of attention but many doctors and health experts say Superbugs are a serious threat to pubic health.

Think about this.  Right now, bacteria are mutating and outsmarting the drugs we have to kill them.  The result can be life-threatening.

To combat what some believe could become a deadly Superbug pandemic, a group of local doctors and scientists are teaming up to form a global biobank in Seattle called Armada.  The goal is to create a database of bacterial strains that will be fingerprinted, allowing doctors access to important information that will help them better diagnosis and treat infections.

"Hours can make a difference certainly between life and death," said Dr. Scott Weissman with Seattle Children's Hospital. "Whether it be children or adults with cancer, the Armada database can help shorten that time giving the doctors the best information to treat their patients and getting the patients the help they need as quickly as possible."

Actor Bill Pullman is joining in the effort to fight Superbugs.  You know him from movies like Independence Day and Sleepless in Seattle.  Although the thought of a Superbug pandemic sounds like a Hollywood plot, Pullman says it's a very real threat to public health.

Pullman's interest in the topic stems from a family history in medicine .  He says he joined the Armada endeavor to raise awareness about antibiotic resistance and encourages people to join in the fight.

"We're hoping we can get people's awareness up so when they have conversations with their doctor about antibiotics that they understand there's an attempt to suppress the usage of them, " said Pullman.  "Also if the antibiotic isn't working that this is part of a process we're trying to get under control."