Antibiotic resistance refers to the ability of any microorganism to withstands effects of an antibiotic. This resistance is like resistance to drugs, and it is one of the biggest challenges in the public health care industry today. It has been estimated that every year in the United States, there are about 2 million men and women that get an infection that relates to antibiotic resistance, and approximately 23,000 people die.
Martin Lloyd Sanders – Does antibiotic resistance subside naturally?
Martin Lloyd Sanders is a Chief Scientist Officer at The United States Public Health Service (USPHS). He says there are some cases where some bacteria resist specific types of antibiotics. Other kinds of bacteria become resistant when there is a change of genes or get genes that are drug-resistant to other bacteria. If the antibiotic is used for a very long time, it becomes less effective against that specific bacteria. He says that the above issue is a very serious problem. As most of the time, some bacteria are not effective against most bacteria, and this gives rise to serious health concerns and problems.
The effects of antibiotic resistance on public health
The issue of antibiotic resistance has gradually spread across the world, making some diseases like pneumonia and meningitis hard to treat. If one suffers from the above disease, stronger and costlier drugs are needed. In some cases, the drugs for the treatment of the above diseases need to be consumed longer. Medical experts in the field add that even in both of the above cases, there is no guarantee that one will not develop health issues or get well fast. In extreme cases, antibiotic resistance results in death!
Resistance to antibiotics often makes it hard for others to care for those suffering from any chronic disease. For instance, some people need treatment for medical conditions like dialysis, chemotherapy, or surgery, and they need a regular dose of antibiotics to reduce infection.
What are the solutions for antibiotic resistance?
In 2015, the White House made a National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic Resistance. The following are a list of some of the recommendations made-
- Scientists should increase the development of new vaccines and antibiotics along with diagnostic tests to find out bacteria that is resistant to drugs.
- Officials in the public health department should monitor antibiotic resistance and keep track of how fast it is spreading.
- Medical healthcare professionals, as well as doctors, should completely stop the unnecessary administration of antibiotics and create safe practices for use in clinics and hospitals.
- Farmers must stop administering antibiotics to animals required to treat illness and disease in humans.
According to Martin Sanders, when it comes to antibiotic resistance, the problem is a serious one and should not be ignored. Steps should be taken by officials of Public Health state the above recommendations should be embraced to ensure the problem does not spread quickly and affect the health of people in the nation.