Antibiotics are medicines that usually help fight bacteria but sometimes also aid in fighting fungi or protozoa that make you sick. Antibiotic resistance is the ability of these bacteria to survive in spite of an antibiotic designed to resist it.
How does antibiotic resistance develop?
Bacteria are miniscule creatures that attack your body. When you take an antibiotic, it fights most of the bacteria and kills them. But some bacteria are stronger than others and so they survive and multiply. The survivors pass on their survivor traits to their off springs. So the next time the same antibiotic is given against those particular bacteria, they survive. This “survival of the fittest” is repeated each time any antibiotic is given. Gradually, bacteria develop resistance to different antibiotics that are used against them.
The main reason for the development of antibiotic resistance is their indiscriminate use. Antibiotics are peddled like magic pills for every small illness. We end up taking antibiotics for illnesses which do not even require them. The onus rests on the doctors too, who often do not want to take a chance when treating a patient and end up prescribing broad spectrum antibiotics that act against a variety of bacteria at one go. Often patients themselves demand antibiotics and doctors are unable to convince them against it because of lack of time or inclination. Many a time, patients who are taking antibiotics simply forget to take the entire course or feel it is not required to take them once they begin to feel better. Incorrect dosage and failure to follow the prescribed schedule exactly can also lead to resistance.
Emergence of resistant bacteria
Another important reason for development of resistance is use of antibiotics in animal industry and agriculture. Antibiotics are routinely given in small doses to cattle, hogs, and poultry to make them grow faster and to treat infections to which they are very prone because of the crowded, unhygienic conditions in which they grow. Antibiotics are sprayed on fruit trees and plants to prevent infection. So the traces which remain after the initial spraying plus the wind which carries the spray far and wide contribute to the emergence of resistant bacteria. They are transferred to us by direct contact, eating meat, drinking contaminated water or by the transfer of resistant traits from animal bacteria to human bacteria.
Widespread antibiotic resistance has led to the emergence of super bugs that have developed the ability to fight off the challenge posed by even the most powerful antibiotics in the markets and emerge a winner.
So what will be the consequences of antibiotic resistance?
Infections will become increasingly difficult to treat. Duration of hospital stay will increase. Treatments will be more expensive and will have more side effects. Of course scientists are working overtime to develop novel ways of combating bacteria.
So what can you do about antibiotic resistance?
Do not insist your doctor to give you an antibiotic for every illness.
Remember that antibiotics will not work against viral infection like most colds cough, viral fever etc.
Take the antibiotic exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Take the full course of antibiotics even if you feel better.
Minimize the spread of infection by simple washing of hands with soap and water and covering your face each time you cough and sneeze.
Do not share antibiotics with others who have similar symptoms like you.
Ask your doctor to give you specific antibiotic if possible after you get the results of the culture test.
Consult your doctor if you are not responding to an antibiotic after a day or two. This might be an indication that you have developed resistance to that antibiotic.
Wash fruits and vegetables carefully before use.
Cook the meat thoroughly before consumption.
Go organic if you can.
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Chillibreeze's disclaimer: This is a contributed article and was published on Chillibreeze in October, 2010. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article. The relevance of the facts and figures cited (if any) could change after a period of time.
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—About our writer:
I am an MBBS graduate who has served in the Army Medical Corps for five years and then taken up the wonderful responsibility of a being a full time mother of two boys. Currently I am based in Cochin, India. I love to draw and write.
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