Antibiotic resistance – why it is more dangerous than you think

You suffer from a nasty cold with a stuffy nose. What do you do? Most probably you take antibiotics, little aware of the fact that you are contributing to a major crisis! Thinking how the two are conn

Dr Anitha Anchan | Updated: August 6, 2013 11:39 am

You suffer from a nasty cold with a stuffy nose. What do you do? Most probably you take antibiotics, little aware of the fact that you are contributing to a major crisis! Thinking how the two are connected? Ever since their availability, antibiotics have been the most efficient life-saving drug in the world. But before you think they are a panacea for all your ills, think again!

While antibiotics kill bacteria, they are not effective against viruses. 90 to 98 percent of sinus infections are caused by viruses. But ironically they are the fifth leading reason for antibiotics prescriptions! According to a WHO study, 53% people take antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription and 18% save it for later use with an intention to use it next time they have the same symptoms or for other family members. But what people like them do not understand is that they are setting themselves up for deadly antibiotic resistance, which basically means that the antibiotics which help you now may not necessarily do so during a health crisis in the future when you really need it.

What is antibiotic resistance?

Microorganisms constantly evolve to efficiently adapt to new environments and antibiotic resistance is one such adaptation. The ability of microorganisms to grow in the presence of an antibiotic that would normally kill them or limit their growth is called antimicrobial resistance. The bacteria which have become resistant cause infections which cannot be treated with the usual drugs, dosages or concentrations. Bacteria which have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics are called multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria or more commonly, superbugs.

What causes antibiotic resistance?

Antibiotic resistance has become a common phenomenon due to their misuse. It could be in the form of indiscriminate self-medication, prescribing incorrect dosage, not following prescribed dosage, failure to complete the course and excessive use of prophylactic (preventive) antibiotics. Another major reason is prescription of antibiotics to treat viral infections such as the common cold.

Why is antibiotic resistance dangerous?

The availability of antibiotics changed the course of history. Many infections previously not treatable found cure. But with increasing menace of resistant bacteria we are now facing severe infections with little or no antibiotics to cure them. Existing drugs have become less effective against antibiotic resistant bacteria. Diseases that were easily treatable with mild forms of antibiotics now need to be treated with stronger combination forms of antibiotics. If you are infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria you are more likely to have longer hospital stays and more complicated treatment thereby increasing your medical costs and financial burden. You may be left with potentially untreatable infections increasing the risk of death.

Since the duration of infection is longer, there is a greater risk of spread of resistant microorganisms to others. The antibiotic resistant bacteria may compromise the success of cancer chemotherapy, organ transplantation, etc.

Read: Why antibiotics need warning signs

Common Antibiotic Resistant Infections

Tuberculosis: Every year, around 440000 new cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) emerge resulting in 150000 deaths. India had an estimated 63,000 cases of notified multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in 2010, the highest in the South East Asia region. Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has been reported in 64 countries to date. Multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) does not respond to at least two of the most potent first-line anti-TB drugs. This form of the disease requires up to 2 years of multidrug treatment. XDR-TB, the less common form, is resistant to any of the three second-line drugs. It needs up to 2 years of extensive drug treatment.

Hospital-acquired infections: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a hospital-acquired infection, has evolved into a serious public health concern during the past four decades. Hospital-acquired infections may also be caused by vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Infection from Gram-negative bacteria: Increased resistance to many, most, or all available antibiotic drugs has been reported in certain types of Gram-negative bacteria leaving patients with potentially untreatable infections. Most of these infections are typically treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics followed by carbapenems, often the last resorts to fight resistant bacterial infections. However, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), the ‘nightmare bacteria’, have surfaced killing up to half of the patients who get bloodstream infections from them. CRE normally live in the digestive system and people who need breathing machines, urinary or intravenous catheters or take certain antibiotics long-term are most at risk from CRE infection.

Read: Disarm, don’t kill bugs, to counter antibiotic resistance

Tips to prevent antibiotic resistance:

Follow your doctor’s directions when you take antibiotics.
Complete the complete antibiotic course even if you feel better.
Do not save antibiotics for later use.
Do not take antibiotics prescribed for someone else, even if you have similar symptoms.
Adopt healthy lifestyle habits. Maintain good hygiene, wash your hands frequently, have a well-balanced diet, exercise regularly and get adequate rest. These steps can help prevent illness thereby preventing antibiotic overuse and misuse.

Ever since Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have been instrumental in saving human lives and revolutionizing medicine. If we want them to continue to do so for generations to come, we need to stop popping them every time we have a cold!

Published: March 14, 2013 5:57 pm | Updated:August 6, 2013 11:39 am

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