Introduction
Since the beginning of the antibiotic error in the mid 20th century, antimicrobial resistance has been recognized. The increased use of antimicrobial agents in the recent years has resulted in the development of resistance to these drugs. Clinical threats have however been minimized by the availability of newer agents (Bonomo & Tolmasky 2007). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines antimicrobial resistance as the resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial medicine to which it was previously sensitive (WHO 2012). A variety of resistance mechanisms have been developed by bacteria to counter the introduction of successive classes of antibiotics.
Antibiotics are and have always been some of the key contributing factors in the medicinal industry. By preserving public health and curing diseases by killing bacteria, antibiotics are critical to society’s health. However, the amount of antibiotic resistant bacteria is rapidly rising, and the rate of antibiotic discovery can never hope to keep up with the growth of these super bacteria. Fortunately, there are many methods to discover new antibiotics that have the potential to deal with antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Antibiotics are medications that are used to treat bacterial or fungal infections (MNT, 2013) by either slowing down the metabolic processes in the bacterium, or killing it directly (Mobley, 2006). By slowing down the growth of bacteria, the body’s own immune system can take over for the medication, combatting the infection with its own defence. Antibiotics were first discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 (MNT, 2013), when he found that fungal growth kills bacterial cells, but does not harm any other cells, such as human cells.
One of the many growing concerns in the world today is antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance happens when the bacteria that an antibiotic is made to treat learns how to fight the treatment, and develops a strain of DNA that resists the antibiotic. The resistance is then spread from generation to generation and from one bacteria to another bacteria. The article “Antibiotic Resistance Is Worrisome, but Not Hopeless” states that the misuse and overuse of antibiotics by humans is one of the reasons for the development of resistance but not the only reason. All in all, antibiotics are important to our country's public health. Education is one way that our country could aid the misuse and overuse of antibiotics that leads to resistance. The
Why a Resistant strand of Group A Streptococcus is Causing Problems in Children and Becoming Resistant to Antibiotics
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013) Flaming want on in the 1947 show that Staphylococcus was becoming resistance to penicillin Due to misuse or overuse (Penicillin It's Practical Application. Philadelphia: Blakiston, 1946. 1-23. Print). Over the decades the Antibiotic was used to treat bacterial infection and was not meant for viral infections. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013) Misuse of antibiotics causes the mutation in the genome and there for Bacterial exchange happen causing Resistance .( Antibiotic Resistance : Causes and Risk Factors, Mechanisms and Alternatives. By Kaden P. Muniz and Adriel R. Bonilla. New York: Nova Science, 2009.) The CDC and Who Would health organization have put in place to limit or reduce the amount of antibiotics they can be given out. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013).The CDC also put strict control on antibiotics uses in the agriculture industry and Animals, to limit or reduce antibiotic resistance. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013) The CDC showed that The Netherland had reduce the resistances level by removing or limiting the amount of antibiotics use in agriculture and animals. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Because of the Antibiotic resistance we
In 1928 Alexandre Flemming made a chance discovery that changed the tide of human existence, the discovery of penicillin. We could now fight infections that previously had killed people; we were given a tool to use towards survival. Since then a number of other antibiotics have been invented, the main ones being Penicillin’s and their derivatives (amoxicillin), Cephalosporin’s ...
Antimicrobial resistance to an increasing number of antibiotics is a worldwide problem which has been steadily increasing and has reached a concerning level. The World Health Organisation (2012) recognises antimicrobial resistance as a “global public health crisis”. It poses both medical and financial problems, especially for lower-income countries where infectious diseases are far more burdensome and the accessibility to health care along with the affordability of medicines is inadequate.
Thesis: Although forms of antibiotics, disinfectants, and the sort are developed, improved, and mutated on a daily basis to increase resistance, the bacterium that is being targeted through these agents are evolving as well, similarly building a resistance, and limiting the growth of anti-bacterial products is necessary.
Since the 1940’s antibiotics have greatly decreased death and illness due to infectious diseases. These drugs have had a significant impact on patient’s health when used correctly and appropriately. (CDC, 2013) However sometimes they are overused. When these antibiotics are overused, or used for diseases in which they are not necessary the infectious organism could become antibiotic resistant.