ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE. A THREAT TO LIFE!

 

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE:

        Antibiotics are medicine that are used to prevent and treat infections caused by bacteria. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria's response to antibiotics changes. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause diseases in both people and animals. These diseases are more difficult to treat than those caused by bacteria that aren't resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance raises medical expenses, lengthens hospital stays, and raises fatality rates.

     The world urgently needs to modify how antibiotics are prescribed and used. Antibiotic resistance will always be a danger, even if new medications are developed. Vaccination, hand washing, safer sex, and excellent food hygiene are all examples of behavior modifications that can help prevent the transmission of illnesses.

SCOPE:

       In the world, antibiotic resistance is increasing to a worrisome degree. New resistant mechanisms are arising and spreading around the world, posing a danger to our ability to treat common illnesses. Because medicines are becoming less effective, illnesses such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gonorrhoea are getting more difficult to cure. Antibiotic resistance is a major worry since some bacteria have developed resistance to practically all of the commonly used antibiotics. These bacteria have the potential to cause significant illness, making them a major public health concern..

TRANSMITION OF RESISTANT BACTERIA:

        Most commonly bacteria transmit through contaminated utensils like in hospitals through

ü  Contact with contaminated surface, syringes, stethoscope, and mainly by hands of hospital staff.

Standard precautions in hospitals are work practices that provide a basic level of infection control for the care of all people, regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status.

WAYS TO PREVENT ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE:

       Antibiotic resistance must be controlled urgently to ensure the safety of people's lives; else, the world would soon descend into chaos. Antibiotic resistance is increased, according to the WHO, by antibiotic abuse and overuse, as well as poor infection prevention and control. To lessen the impact and spread of resistance, actions can be taken at all levels of society.

Individuals can help to prevent and limit the spread of antibiotic resistance by:

• Antibiotics should only be used if a doctor has recommended them.
• If your doctor says you don't need antibiotics, don't take them.
• When taking antibiotics, always listen to your doctor's advise.
• Never share or utilise antibiotics that have been left over.

Policymakers can increase policies, programmes, and the implementation of infection prevention and control measures to prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance.

The health business can invest in research and development of new medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and other instruments to prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance can be prevented and controlled in the agriculture industry by:

• Antibiotics should only be given to animals under veterinary supervision.
• Antibiotics should not be used to promote growth or prevent disease in healthy animals.
• Animals should be vaccinated to limit the need for antibiotics and alternative treatments should be used.