Eleven years old Addie Rerecic’s signs of a potentially fatal illness first appeared on Mother’s Day. A week later, after a checkup in the hospital, the doctors discovered a bacterial infection in her hip. After Addie was advised to take pain relievers, her hip pain showed no signs of progress and she was again taken to the hospital. Her infection, at that point, has progressed from her hips to her lungs through her bloodstream – she can no longer breathe without a breathing machine. The bacteria found in Addie’s body were resistant to most common and safe antibiotics; the only option left is Colistin, which can damage the kidneys. Although the potentially toxic antibiotic worked, the young girl had suffered a stroke and she left the hospital …show more content…
According to studies, “…up to half of the usage of antibiotics by humans is unnecessary” (Eichenwald). This is due to patients who “demanded” the drugs for sickness that are completely irrelevant to bacteria, such as colds, which are caused by viruses (Eichenwald). These uses allow the bacteria to have a taste of the drug, then learning to fight against it. The situation is even worse in overpopulated regions in the world such as India and Southeast Asia, where antibiotics can be bought as an over-the-counter medicine. The ease of access allows the public to obtain drugs that are most likely going to be misused, leading the human race even more towards the post-antibiotic era. However, antibiotics are utilized on animals more than anything else, as “…about 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in 2011 were used on [them], primarily for spurring growth” (Eichenwald). Since the 1950s, animals have been made to gain weight by consuming low levels of antibiotics in their food (Larsen). Although this may seem like a good idea, as the less amount of intake leading to less antibiotics being used, this strategy do not end up killing all the bacteria. Instead, it gives the bacteria the chance to spread its knowledge about the drug and later, the entire group becomes resistant to it. Not only does method assist in bacteria becoming antibiotic-resistant, but the humans who ingest these meats will end up obtaining the bacteria as …show more content…
A program to train physicians on the proper uses of drugs and limiting the ability of doctors who are untrained properly to prescribe antibiotics, known as “antibiotic stewardship” has begun to take place (Eichenwald). Simple actions such as choosing to eat food that is organic could lead one to avoid intentional antibiotics that are added. One should always look for meat that was not injected with hormones or antibiotics. Livestock is always exposed to bacteria if they are crowded and packed together near each other’s feces and urine. According to Lance Price, a specialist in studying resistant bacteria, an easy fix would be to “…change the animal production system, where animals are healthier and infections become the exception and not the norm” (Eichenwald). Another simple solution is to continuously taking an antibiotic that is prescribed specifically to a condition even after one feels better to prevent the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (Larsen). The ultimate solution to this not widespread issue is to bring the government into this. “The federal government is the best situated to fix [this]. It needs to lead the charge to create a system for gathering common, national information” (They Caught It). With this information, both state and government health officials can began to act on this now, instead of waiting “until people start showing serious signs of
Public health officials estimate that up to 50% of all antibiotics use in the U.S is either unnecessary or in appropriate.
A growing issue in the world today is the use of antibiotics and growth hormones in the animal production industry. However, for over sixty years, Americans have been exposed to hormones on a regular basis when they consume beef. Organic Consumer Association: On average, eighty percent of all feedlot cattle are given hormones to help them grow at an increased rate. (Communication Foundation) “In 1988 the European Union banned the use of all hormone growth promoters.” (Organic Consumer Association)
Carroll. Even with widespread controversy over antibiotic resistance, Carroll remained neutral with his writing, pointing out facts that fit both sides of the argument. One of the most important issues addressed in the article was the lack of education when it comes to the proper use of antibiotics. The health of the public would benefit greatly from education about viruses and bacterial infections. Carroll’s article is a good resource for the basis of the topic’s education. The article informs readers about the importance of antibiotics and the development of antibiotic resistance as well as future prevention and research for antibiotic
. Many doctors and patients are unaware that antibiotics are designed to treat bacterial infections, not viral infections (Antibiotic resistance, N.D.). Many bacteria within our bodies are not harmful at all, and some of them actually provide health benefits. The bacteria that are harmful are disease-causing bacteria, which generate sicknesses such as strep throat, the common cold, and ear infections (Get, 2013). Viruses are smaller than bacteria and require hosts, such as plants or animals, in order to proliferate (What, N.D.). Doctors play a vital role in administering antibiotics, for patients rely on their knowledge and expertise in order to receive proper medication for ailments throughout their lives. According to www.acponline.org, 190 million doses of antibiotics are administered every day. Among patients that do not reside in hospitals, doctors prescribe more than 133 million antibiotic programs every year. Of those 133 million programs, it is estimated that over 50 percent of them are unnecessarily prescribed because the doctor is prescribing them for viral infections such as common colds or simple coughs (Antibiotic resistance, N.D.). However, doctors are not the only ones to blame in regard to misuse of antibiotics because their patients are just as guilty when it comes to ignorance in respect to antibiotic usage. Many preventable factors have emerged because of irresponsibility of patients, including self-medication practices and the temptations of cheap, counterfeit drugs, all of which have aggravated drug resistance in the last 20 years (What, N.D.). Also, many patients are unaware of the dangers that can result from leaving medication behind because they don’t use it. It is extremely ill-advised to leave behind eve...
When bacteria are frequently exposed to antibiotics it can become resistant to the drug so that it is no longer effective in treating a specific illness (Visser). To compensate for unhygienic environments and to accelerate growth, antibiotics are often given to food animals in the U.S. In 2011, 29.9 million pounds of antibiotics were sold in America for meat and poultry production ("Record"). Many of the types of antibiotics used in food animal production is also used in human medicine, and according to the WHO, “widespread use of antim...
The common cold is one of the most prevalent illnesses worldwide. It is caused by a virus that inflames the membranes in the lining of the nose and throat, colds can be the result of more than 200 different viruses [10].The antibiotics don't work against any infections caused by viruses [11]. They are a powerful medicines that fight bacterial infections [12]. Antibiotics were first used to treat serious infections in the 1940s. Since then, antibiotics have saved millions of lives and transformed modern medicine. During the last 70 years, however, bacteria have shown the ability to become resistant to every antibiotic that has been developed [13].Taking unnecessary antibiotic can be dangerous to the health and can increase the risk of antibiotic resistance [14]. World Health Organization (WHO) define the Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as the resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial agent to which it was originally sensitive. [3] Antibiotics were prescribed in 68% of acute respiratory tract visits and of those, 80% were unnecessary according to disease control center (CDC) guidelines. $1.1 billion is spent annually on unnecessary adult upper respiratory infection antibiotic prescriptions. When antibiotics fail to work, the consequences are longer-lasting illnesses, more doctor visits or extended hospital stays, and the need for more expensive and toxic medications. Some resistant infections can even cause death [2].The judicious prescription of antibiotics has become a central focus of professional and public health measures to combat the spread of resistant organisms. [15]
Resistance arises from mutations that are not under the control of humans, but the evolution of bacteria has been sped along by the overexposure of antibiotics to both people and animals. The number of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria in an area is closely related to the frequency that antibiotics that are prescribed (Todar, 2012). Patients often unnecessarily demand antibiotics to treat common colds or simple illnesses that are not caused by bacteria. Instead, these infections are caused by viruses which, unlike bacteria, are unaffected by antibiotics. Incorrect diagnosis can also lead patients to using unnecessary antibiotics, which can sometimes be even more dangerous than otherwise left untreated. Besides the fact that antibiotics kill off beneficial bacteria in the intestines, misuse of antibiotics provides an opportunity ...
However, health concerned organizations want to ban the use of these products due to the increasing fears that they can cause harm to the consumers. For over 50 years, antibiotics have been added to the food of animals such as poultry, cattle and pigs. The main purpose for doing so is to lower the risk of disease in animals. Farm animals are housed together in overcrowded areas, which are very dirty. The hygiene level can get to such a poor state that they are often in contact with their own excreta as well as excreta of the other animals they are housed with and because of tight single air space they share, the likelihood of catching diseases from one another is further increased and very often a whole heard can be infected at one time.
In the last decade, the number of prescriptions for antibiotics has increases. Even though, antibiotics are helpful, an excess amount of antibiotics can be dangerous. Quite often antibiotics are wrongly prescribed to cure viruses when they are meant to target bacteria. Antibiotics are a type of medicine that is prone to kill microorganisms, or bacteria. By examining the PBS documentary Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria and the article “U.S. government taps GlaxoSmithKline for New Antibiotics” by Ben Hirschler as well as a few other articles can help depict the problem that is of doctors prescribing antibiotics wrongly or excessively, which can led to becoming harmful to the body.
Alexander Fleming started the history of antibiotics in the 1920's with his discovery of penicillin.When penicillin was first discovered and used widely, it was touted as a wonder drug, and consequently was used as one.Though not necessarily harmful to the patient penicillin was used for much more infections than it was able to combat.Today the same practice is observed in the medical profession, however at this point it is due more to the detriment of an uneducated public.Studies have been carried out that show the huge over usage of antibiotics.In the seventies Soyka et al, concluded, "60% of physicians surveyed gave antibiotics for the treatment of the common cold."[3], and by common knowledge the common cold is a virus, something that cannot be treated by an antibiotic.Nyquist
Meat cultivation uses more land, water and resources to house, transport, and slaughter animals and their grain and food than it would cost to fund in vitro meat studies. In April 2008 the In Vitro Consortium first met at the Norwegian Food Research Institute. The consortium is “an international alliance of environmentally concerned scientists striving to facilitate the establishment of a large scale process industry for the production of muscle tissue for human consumption through concerted R&D efforts and attraction of funding fuels to these efforts. ”Meat in both its production and its consumption has a number of destructive effects on not only the environment and humans but also live stock. Some of these effects are antibiotic resistant bacteria due to the overuse of antibiotics in livestock, meat-borne pathogens (e. coli), and diseases associated with diets rich in animal fats (diabetes).
Antibiotics are used worldwide and although their uses have helped many people, it doesn't come without risk. The use of antibiotics treats people and animals alike to cure infection and are easily excusable through physicians. However in recent years, since antibiotics are used so universally, antibiotic- resistant strains have become a growing problem. This suggest that the bacteria is adapting to the antibiotics and through natural selection, the antibiotic- resistant bacteria have grown in numbers. The scientific community worries about future treatment of diseases if the bacteria continues to adapt. For example tuberculosis which hasn't been a problem in some time, has started to reoccur as a much harder to treat strain. Antibiotics are the go to method of treating infection but we need to be careful when we are using them.
Nowadays, we are so indolent that we take for granted the medicine provided for us to cure our pain or illness and feel privileged. When we date back to the 1800-1900, we will come to know that it wasn’t unusual for people to die with minor diseases, as there were no medicines invented for that certain type of disease. For decades, scientists and doctors worldwide have worked day and night to invent medicines and drugs that can help humankind get rid of certain diseases. Many drugs and medicines have been discovered or invented till today, but the medicine which has provided tremendous advantages to humankind due to its vast effectiveness is none other than Penicillin. Back in the medieval days, hospitals were full of people with infections and there wasn’t much to do but wait and hope.
“An interesting byproduct of the newer solutions to medical dilemmas is the slowly growing resistance of antibiotics in bacteria (“Externalities”, 2016)”. The person who is affected by the negative externality concerning the use of antibiotics by others will see it as lowered utility: either subjective displeasure or potentially explicit costs, such as higher medical expenses in the future to treat infections that could have otherwise been treated easily at a lower cost (Ditah, 2011). In order to mitigate antibiotic resistance, healthcare workers should stop prescribing antibiotics unless it’s truly necessary. Additionally, the government should make more of an effort to tackle antibiotic resistance. People should also be educated about how overuse is