Drug Resistant And The Abuse Of Antibiotics - 813 Words

Have you ever been to the doctor for the seasonal flu and walked out of the clinic with a prescription for antibiotics? I have. Actually, some of us, including me, become very upset if the doctor fails to prescribe antibiotics for us. Since the discovery of antibiotics, they have become the miracle treatment for all types of infections, specific and non-specific. Even though antibiotics are only effective when treating bacterial infection, many seek them for viral infections such as the common cold, etc. Hence, this reckless practice has inadvertently contributed to the rising trend in drug-resistance microbes, AKA Superbugs. This is a twofold problem; in that, drug-resistant superbugs and the abuse of antibiotics are both major health concerns. However, for the purpose of this public health problem statement, I will focus on the increasing threat of drug-resistant organisms from the abuse of antibiotics. More so, I shall address what should be occurring in this current health problem, what is currently occurring, and health disparities relating to it, if nothing is done. There are misguided beliefs and expectations associated with lack of awareness of the dangers of antibiotics use. ¹ Unlike the natural antibiotics of fungi and bacteria, most artificially synthesized antibiotics are broad-spectrum. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are capable of killing both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, while narrow-spectrum or natural antibiotics target only a specific gram-typeShow MoreRelatedIt is Time to go Anti-Antibiotics1200 Words   |  5 Pages Antibiotics are one of the greatest advancements in medical history; the saviour of those suffering from everything from the bubonic plague, to sexually transmitted infections. It is clear that these drugs are necessary to treat many diseases†¦but the common cold? Antibiotic misuse leads to patients being put ask risk for future health problems, bacteria becoming resilient to these lifesavers, and the government having to deal with increased costs. Antibiotics may be the cure for many illnesses,Read MoreAntibiotic Resistant Bacteria1376 Words   |  6 PagesThis has become a serious problem in hospitals as bacterial resistant infections continue to be on the rise despite the practice of standard precautions that treat all patients as if they have an infectious disease. One of the leading public health threats today is meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. With all of the advancements in medicine, it is hard to believe that we do not have the ability to manufacture new antibiotics that would target these resistive organisms. The problemRead MoreAntibiotic Abuse : Life Saver Raises Deadly Superbugs1611 Words   |  7 PagesLeyu Luo Eng103 9am S Matson 26 Jan 2015 Antibiotic Abuse: Life Saver Raises Deadly Superbugs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These are many killers that damage generations, but there is one tiny thing that has caused countless deaths and injuries throughout history -- Superbugs. It caused 700,000 deaths every year, and it was estimated to kill 10 million lives each year by 2050, which would cost over 100 trillion dollars per year and a worldwide economic output reduction of 2% to 3.5%, etc.(Walsh,para2) Surprisingly, superbugsRead MoreThe Evolution of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Essay1412 Words   |  6 PagesEvolution of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Since antibiotics, such as penicillin, became widely available in the 1940s, they have been called miracle drugs. They have been able to eliminate bacteria without significantly harming the other cells of the host. Now with each passing year, bacteria that are immune to antibiotics have become more and more common. This turn of events presents us with an alarming problem. Strains of bacteria that are resistant to all prescribed antibiotics are beginningRead MoreEssay Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria757 Words   |  4 PagesAntibiotic Resistance in Bacteria For about 50 years, antibiotics have been the answer to many bacterial infections. Antibiotics are chemical substances that are secreted by living things. Doctors prescribed these medicines to cure many diseases. During World War II, it treated one of the biggest killers during wartime - infected wounds. It was the beginning of the antibiotic era. But just when antibiotics were being mass produced, bacteria started to evolve and became resistant to these medicinesRead MoreAntibiotic Resistance And Its Effects On The World s Most Worrisome Health Issues Essay1053 Words   |  5 PagesAntibiotic resistance Antibiotic resistance or superbugs is / are global issues. They might not be as much of a problem now but they can wipe out thousands of people with a snap of the fingers. I think we can fight the superbugs by not abusing drug use and not giving drugs to animals that we eat. Superbugs are a certain type of bacteria that is immune to all medicine that you throw at it and can be very deadly. Antibiotic resistance is one of the world s most worrisome health issues. Improper useRead MoreCan We Win The War Against Superbug Antibiotic Resistance?1654 Words   |  7 PagesResearch Project: Can We Win the War Against Superbug Antibiotic Resistance? Recently, numerous varieties of bacteria causing especially difficult-to-remedy infections have risen to prominence in not only the general community, but also, and more noteworthily, in various healthcare facilities. These bacteria, also known as â€Å"superbugs†, are all characterized by not only their potential to cause severe, demonstrably lethal disease, with tens of thousands of the more than two million people in theRead MoreThe Rise of Antibiotic Resistant Diseases1109 Words   |  4 PagesThe use of antibiotics dates from the 1920s and, for the first time in history, the human race has a chance to win in the war against bacterial disease. Unfortunately, it is unknown if humans will ever win the battle against disease because of antibiotic resistant strains. Antibiotics are overprescribed and with the overuse, bacteria are becoming resistant at a rapid rate. Without antibiotics bacteria would still mutate but the mutations would not help the bacteria. With antibioti cs the bacteriaRead MoreEssay on The Discovery of Penicillin897 Words   |  4 Pagesprobably die because they can’t cure the infection. Before, there were some antibiotics that could help with diseases but couldn’t get rid of them completely. People had a shorter lifespan before the discovery of penicillin. For a while bacterial infections were the main cause of death in the human race. People died from syphilis, gonorrhea, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and even childbirth because they didn’t have a good enough antibiotic. You could also die from surgical infections, so you could’ve alreadyRead MoreThe Importance Of Antibiotic Resistance998 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to global health, food security and development today, it occurs naturally, but the pace of its process speeds up its abuse when given to humans and animals and it can harm anyone regardless of age and country of residence (Laxminarayan, et al.2013). According to World Health Organization (WHO), there are 700,000 people death every year because of antibiotic resistance (WHO,2016). A study by the Public Health Foundation in England