ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE
BY- RICHA KRISHNA
(M.PHARMACY)
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines. Bacteria, not humans or animals, become antibiotic-resistant. These bacteria may infect humans and animals, and the infections they cause are harder to treat than those caused by non-resistant bacteria.
3. Antibiotic resistance happens when germs like bacteria
and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed
to kill them that means the germs are not killed and
continue to grow.
4. BRIEF HISTORY OF RESISTANCE AND
ANTIBIOTICS:-
Penicillin, the first commercialized antibiotic, was
discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. Ever since,
there has been discovery and acknowledgement of
resistance alongside the discovery of new antibiotics.
In fact, germs will always look for ways to survive and
resist new drugs. More and more, germs are sharing
their resistance with one another, making it harder for
us to keep up.
6. What are the major causes of
antibiotic resistance?
The 6 main causes of antibiotic resistance have
been linked to:
Over-prescription of antibiotics.
Patients not finishing the entire antibiotic course.
Overuse of antibiotics in livestock.
Poor infection control in health care settings.
Poor hygiene and sanitation.
Absence of new antibiotics being discovered.
7. Causes of Antimicrobial (Drug)
Resistance:-
Microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and
parasites, are living organisms that evolve over time.
Their primary function is to reproduce, thrive, and
spread quickly and efficiently. Therefore, microbes
adapt to their environments and change in ways that
ensure their survival. If something stops their ability to
grow, such as an antimicrobial, genetic changes can
occur that enable the microbe to survive. There are
several ways this happens:
8. Natural (Biological) Causes
Selective Pressure
In the presence of an antimicrobial, microbes are either killed or, if they
carry resistance genes, survive. These survivors will replicate, and their
progeny will quickly become the dominant type throughout the microbial
population.
9. MUTATION
Most microbes reproduce by dividing every few hours, allowing them
to evolve rapidly and adapt quickly to new environmental conditions.
During replication, mutations arise and some of these mutations may
help an individual microbe survive exposure to an antimicrobial.
10. GENE TRANSFER
Microbes also may get genes from each other, including genes that make the microbe
drug resistant. Bacteria multiply by the billions. Bacteria that have drug-resistant DNA
may transfer a copy of these genes to other bacteria. Non-resistant bacteria receive the
new DNA and become resistant to drugs. In the presence of drugs, only drug-resistant
bacteria survive. The drug-resistant bacteria multiply and thrive.
11.
12. Examples of resistance:-
Tuberculosis (TB): This airborne lung disease results from
a bacterial infection. TB was a major killer before
antibiotics became available. More recently, drug-resistant
forms of TB have emerged worldwide. Standard antibiotic
treatments will not work against these forms of the disease.
A person who has TB that is not drug-resistant will require
daily treatment with several drugs for 6 to 9 months.
Drug-resistant TB is more complex to treat. The person will
need to take the drugs for a longer time, and they will need
close supervision. Poor management can result in fatalities.
13. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA):
This is a bacterial infection that can be fatal. People usually
get MRSA when they are staying in a hospital.
Gonorrhea: Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted bacterial
infection that is common in the U.S. and elsewhere. Cases
of drug-resistant gonorrhea have started to occur.
Escherichia coli (E. coli): This bacterium is a common
cause of food-borne disease and urinary tract infections.
The rate of antibiotic resistance in E.
coli is increasing quickly.
Fungal infections: Candida, Aspergillus, and other fungi
can lead to a range of severe infections. Candida
albicans (C. albicans) is responsible for thrush, a common
vaginal infection. Aspergillus can cause or
worsen aspergillosis, a lung condition.
16. Preventing antimicrobial resistance
Preventing microbes from developing resistance to drugs has become as
important as treating the illnesses that they cause.
The main reason for the increase in AMR appears to be the frequent and
improper use of antimicrobial drugs.
Steps that people can take to help lower the risk of AMR include the following:
Only use antimicrobial drugs when a doctor prescribes them.
Always complete the full prescribed course, even if the symptoms have
subsided. If not, the drug may only kill off the most vulnerable microbes,
leaving others to survive and develop resistance.
Never share antimicrobials with others or using leftover drugs from previous
prescriptions. These medications may not be suitable for different forms of
infection.
Do not pressurize doctors into prescribing antimicrobials when they are not
necessary.
Follow good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of microbes, including
washing hands thoroughly and ensuring that food preparation areas are clean.
Get recommended vaccinations, as this will reduce the risk of needing to take
medication.