By: Nishita Kulkarni
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I. Introduction
Antibiotic resistance is where bacteria in one's body modify themselves to resist antibiotics used to work against them. This modification hardens the ability of antibiotics to treat the body and is usually caused by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics to treat infections and conditions.
It's essential to address the issue of antibiotic resistance because of its harmful impact on public health. Due to this resistance, illnesses have become prolonged unnecessarily, mortality rates have increased dramatically, and healthcare costs have risen. So, shining a light on this issue helps ensure that antibiotics remain useful when treating certain infections to prevent the spread of resistant bacteria.
II. Causes of antibiotic resistance
The overuse and misuse of antibiotics are significant factors in the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Using antibiotics at an inappropriate time for treatment (viral infections) promotes antibiotic resistance. Overusing antibiotics leads to detrimental side effects such as longer recovery times after an illness, greater disease severity, and higher healthcare costs.
Inadequate infection control is caused by poor hygiene, a lack of sanitation resources, and specific adherence to infection prevention rules. If healthcare cannot execute proper infection control, it creates an environment where bacteria can spread quickly. This problem leads to higher infection rates and more antibiotic demand, leading to antibiotic resistance. These factors make it essential to prioritize infection control practices to mitigate the spread of resistant bacteria.
The lack of new antibiotic development has been profound. In 2021, the number of antibiotics against primary pathogens in the clinical department decreased by four compared to 2017. This shortage limits the ability to defend against resistant bacteria, as it shows that common infections can become severe and threaten one's health.
III. Impact of antibiotic resistance
According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 3.83 million deaths were recorded with the cause of infection-related with antimicrobial resistance. Mortality rates have increased dramatically, causing even the simplest of diseases to be deathly for many, leading to an increase in the rates.
Illnesses caused by resistant germs can become unattainable to treat, leading to more extended stays in the hospital, potentially harmful treatments, and frequent doctor visits.
Higher health costs also affect antibiotic resistance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic resistance was found to have produced more than $4.6 billion annually. This financial issue has drastically increased healthcare spending.
IV. Current efforts to combat antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic stewardship programs promote the proper use of antibiotics, which improves patient outcomes and reduces microbial resistance. These programs guarantee that the antibiotics prescribed to patients are the right type, amount, and time to avoid any other issues/side effects later in the patient's medical history.
Researching and developing new antibiotics could also be a great process to combat infections. This could involve (studying bacteria and identifying targets for new drugs, conducting trials testing the effectiveness and safety of these antibiotics); and aiding in the overall goal of addressing antibiotic resistance and developing more effective treatments for these diseases.
Public health campaigns can also combat antibiotic resistance. They raise awareness about the proper use of antibiotics and promote good hygiene approaches. The campaigns educate the public about the harms that can happen from the overuse of antibiotics and what to and not to do when taking antibiotics to protect their health.
V. Conclusion
Antibiotic resistance is a grand issue that threatens public health worldwide. The overuse/misuse of these antibiotics, inadequate infection control, and the lack of antibiotic development contributed to the increase of resistant bacteria. The impact of this resistance has caused increased mortality rates and healthcare costs. It is compulsory to support current efforts combating this resistance, such as stewardship programs, research, and public health campaigns. Raising awareness of this issue can be beneficial as it ensures the antibiotics remain effective and save lives.
Works Cited
"Antimicrobial Resistance Leads to More Deaths and Illnesses in the WHO African Region than Anywhere Else | Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation." Www.healthdata.org, www.healthdata.org/news-events/newsroom/news-releases/antimicrobial-resistance-leads-more-deaths-and-illnesses-who#:~:text=3.83%20million%20deaths%20were%20infection.
Antimicrobial resistance. "What Causes AMR?" Antimicrobial Resistance, 10 Nov. 2017, www.amr.gov.au/about-amr/what-causes-amr#:~:text=Poor%20hygiene%20and%20poor%20infection.
"Lack of Innovation Set to Undermine Antibiotic Performance and Health Gains." Www.who.int, 22 June 2022, www.who.int/news/item/22-06-2022-22-06-2022-lack-of-innovation-set-to-undermine-antibiotic-performance-and-health-gains#:~:text=According%20to%20WHO%20annual%20analyses.
Mayo Clinic. "Antibiotics: Are You Misusing Them?" Mayo Clinic, 11 Mar. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/antibiotics/art-20045720.
"What Is Antibiotic Resistance?" Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21655-antibiotic-resistance#:~:text=Antibiotic%20resistance%20is%20when%20bacteria.