Antibiotics: An Endangered Privilege

Antibiotics refer to medicines used to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics were first discovered in 1928.

With the progression of time, we now have several types of antibiotics available for use in the medical field.

Antibiotics are chosen based on the causal organism (the bacteria causing the infection) and the patient’s condition upon doctor’s examination.

Not all infections require antibiotics.

Most illnesses with symptoms such as fever, cough and runny nose are caused by viruses, which do not necessitate antibiotics.

This is because antibiotics are only useful in the treatment of infections caused by bacteria.

Antibiotics are of no help in treating infections caused by other microorganisms such as viruses and fungi.

Since its discovery, it cannot be denied that antibiotics have brought us abundant benefits and advancements in the medical field.

However, its use has also promoted growth in other sectors, such as livestock and agriculture. For example, antibiotics are given to livestock in specific doses to aid growth and prevent any possible infections.

Irrational use of antibiotics in multiple sectors has now led to an increase in "antibiotic resistance”.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when the bacteria causing an infection can withstand the intended effects of antibiotics.

This happened because bacteria undergo mutations that enable them to resist the bactericidal (bacteria-killing) effects of antibiotics.

The bacteria which are "antibiotic-resistant” are then said to be immune to antibiotics. As such, infections caused by these mutated bacteria are arduously challenging to treat.

One well-known antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or better termed; "superbug” is the Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) which can cause life-threatening infections.

This leads to several questions; how does antibiotic resistance transpire? What actions can cause a rise in antibiotic resistance?

There are several reasons: