Antibiotics: The Catalyst of a New Epidemic
Antibiotics are often prescribed by medical professionals or can be bought as over-the-counter medicine. In many cases, people automatically resort to taking an antibiotic due to illnesses. However, the overuse of antibiotics leads to a larger problem known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Antimicrobial resistance is when the bacteria that the antibiotic is designed to eliminate builds up a resistance to it—making the antibiotic ineffective. AMR has become an increasingly growing and prevalent problem throughout the years. This has led to issues in the industrial manufacturing of antibiotics as it influences companies to halt antibiotic production because they will eventually stop working. Companies that make antibiotics fear that they will not profit from making antibiotics and subsequently divert their resources away from them. Overall, the major reasons for antimicrobial resistance is the overuse and the lack of diagnostic testing before prescription.
AMR has the possibility of taking the lives of over 700,000 individuals, per year. In, “Emergent Crisis of antibiotic resistance: A silent pandemic threat to 21st Century” the authors mention several statistics that show how antibiotic resistance is a threat to our medical system. They briefly mentioned how the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that three million people are infected with strains of bacteria and/or fungi that are resistant to the antibiotics used to treat them. From that number roughly 35,000 people die.
Modern medicine strongly depends on antibiotics to carry out life saving procedures; however, individuals becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics leads to its ineffectiveness. For example, Penicillin, the first antibiotic discovered back in 1945 was deemed to have resistance within two years. Tetracycline was discovered in 1948 and began showing signs of resistance by 1953. Another issue regarding AMR that is becoming more common is what is referred to as “superbugs” which are bacteria that gain resistance to multiple different antibiotics. This takes place when the bacteria has an over exposure to antibiotics, such as being treated with multiple different antibiotics.
AMR has the possibility of taking the lives of over 700,000 individuals, per year. In, “Emergent Crisis of antibiotic resistance: A silent pandemic threat to 21st Century” the authors mention several statistics that show how antibiotic resistance is a threat to our medical system. They briefly mentioned how the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that three million people are infected with strains of bacteria and/or fungi that are resistant to the antibiotics used to treat them. From that number roughly 35,000 people die.
Modern medicine strongly depends on antibiotics to carry out life saving procedures; however, individuals becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics leads to its ineffectiveness. For example, Penicillin, the first antibiotic discovered back in 1945 was deemed to have resistance within two years. Tetracycline was discovered in 1948 and began showing signs of resistance by 1953. Another issue regarding AMR that is becoming more common is what is referred to as “superbugs” which are bacteria that gain resistance to multiple different antibiotics. This takes place when the bacteria has an over exposure to antibiotics, such as being treated with multiple different antibiotics.
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Treating antimicrobial resistance is difficult because it cannot be solved on an individual level such as one person stopping their use of antibiotics. AMR is widespread as it can be passed on to other bacteria in many ways, one of which is a process known as conjugation. Conjugation is when the bacteria forms a physical connection with another bacteria and passes a plasmid that has the encoded resistance while also retaining a copy for itself. In doing this, the bacteria becomes better suited for survival, allowing for natural selection to favor the AMR bacteria. For example, when you drink coffee over a long period of time, you build up a tolerance for it and it eventually becomes ineffective for you—the same idea applies with antibiotics and AMR bacteria.
Overall, antimicrobial resistant bacteria is becoming a huge threat to modern medicine. At this rate, many scientists have started to consider it as an epidemic.
Overall, antimicrobial resistant bacteria is becoming a huge threat to modern medicine. At this rate, many scientists have started to consider it as an epidemic.
Featured Image Source: Monstera Productions
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