Ciprofloxacin Research Paper

Although some pharmaceutical companies maintain active antibiotic research programs, many have halted their antibiotic programs. So despite encouraging research and development of new anitbacterial drugs is necessary, new drugs alone are not the answer. Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) was introduced in 1987, and it works by “allowing topoisomerases to cut DNA, but not “glue” the ends back together. The result is that the bacterium can no longer replicate its DNA, keeping the bacterial population in check” (Guilfoile 2007). However, Ciprofloxacin resistance is over 30 percent in some species of bacteria. Furthermore it was concluded, “Overuse of Cipro could lead to the development of bacterial resistance to the drug, which would make it useless for treating infections”(Guilfoile 2007).

In the late 1980s, about 5% of S. aureus strains were resistant. Accordingly, to avoid this rapid rise in resistance in the future, new drugs should be reserved for use in special circumstances, particularly for infections that are resistant to current antibiotics. The FDA or the CDC may need to provide regulations on the use of new antibiotics. Otherwise, if new drugs are overused or misused, resistance to the new antibiotics could also develop quickly. Consequently, it is for this reason and others mentioned above why Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is resistant to antibiotics.

In conclusion, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus is an important and dangerous human pathogen. Hundreds of thousands of people acquire S. aureus infections in the United States each year, and it normally does not affect healthy individuals unless there is a break in the skin from injury or surgery where the bacteria can find a home. These ...

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...earch in this area. Plus, we also need to become better consumers for our own personal antibiotic use because bacterial infections can also derive from misuse and overuse of an antibiotic drug. We must prevent the spread of bacteria by washing our hands, fruits, and vegetables. Even raw eggs and undercooked meat are suspects in creating bacterial infections. Furthermore, to be properly vaccinated is a major fight against such infections. So “although humans are not yet close to winning the war against S. aureus, these measures may help provide the weapons we need to have a fighting chance” (Freeman-Cook and Freeman-Cook 2006). Perhaps, one day in the near future the fight against bacterial infections will be resolved and there will no longer be a need for posing the hypothesis of “Why Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is antibiotic-resistant.”