Recently it was discovered that more than 33% of the people who had some bacterial infection became resistant to antibiotics. Doctors are reporting about certain superbugs that have become immune to antibiotics creating an immediate health scare. New antibiotic research has come up. Healthcare experts are trying to educate themselves on the dangers and the causes of antibiotic resistance.
What leads to antibiotic resistance?
There are primary causes as to why bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
People are not completing the course
When your healthcare professional prescribes you antibiotics for a particular duration because that is the period it will take to eliminate all the harmful bacteria which was causing the illness, if you discontinue the medicines just because you do not notice the symptoms anymore, then some bacteria knowing how the antibiotic is working will remain in your body. Now these bacteria having all the necessary information will evolve themselves accordingly, and thus they become resistant to that antibiotic. Therefore, you should complete your dose even though you do not notice any symptoms.
Consumption of antibiotics through food
It is not just humans who are given antibiotics; even animals, fish and livestock get treated with antibiotics. As such, when people are consuming eggs or meat, these antibiotics accumulate in the body, and they create new versions of resistant bacteria, which is very difficult to kill.
Old antibiotics
A new batch of antibiotics has not come up, and all the antibiotics you see now have been invented more than 40 years ago. Since then, many new strains of bacteria have come into the picture, and their population has also increased. The resistance of human beings has become weak and old antibiotics are becoming useless. It is a matter which requires immediate attention as it is becoming horrifying if the human body is becoming weak and not responding enough to antibiotics. The bacteria will become more and more powerful.
Understanding the dangers of antibiotic resistance
The real danger of antibiotic resistance stems from the fact that the medicines will lose their power. Some illnesses get cured with antibiotics ranging from pneumonia, bronchitis, stomach infection and a series of other ugly diseases. People take antibiotics even before and after surgeries. So, if antibiotics fail to work, then these illnesses will become quite fatal.
What to do about antibiotic resistance?
You may reduce the chances of antibiotic resistance by following these measures.
• It is crucial to ask your healthcare provider whether you need antibiotics for a particular disease. If it’s something mild, you don’t have to take antibiotics.
• Always complete the medicine duration as prescribed by the medical counselor.
• Never go beyond the course of the antibiotics.
• Do not rely on self-diagnosis. You must know the dangers of popping antibiotics when not prescribed by your medical practitioner. In some cases, it might also empower the bacteria.
• Avoid taking the same antibiotics when there is reinfection.
The antibiotic-resistant Week has been declared to make people aware of the rising dangers of resistant bacteria becoming so powerful that even antibiotics cannot kill them.
Understanding the history of antibiotics is the key!
