The winter season is in full bloom, so it’s good to freshen up our knowledge about antibiotics:) Latest reports announce ‚the end of modern medicine’, but for many it’s still hard to believe that bacterial infections like tuberculosis or pneumonia could once again threaten the lives of many. Mutations and the fact that too many people have seen antibiotics as the cure-all for their illnesses created a global problem - one that has already had some very serious consequences.
Let’s take a short look back in time. Antibiotics - most specifically penicillin - became wildly used during the World War II. The discovery was hailed a medical miracle, saving countless lives and easing the complications of many feared diseases and infections. But just 4 years after drug companies started mass producing penicillin in 1943, infectious bacteria became getting resistant. Today, after more than 60 years of wide-spread use, antibiotics no longer perform as they once did.
The striking thing about bacteria is that they can multiply every 20 minutes. Antibiotic resistance develops when bacterias develop mutation which allow them to resist the effects of a particular medicine. In a large population of bacteria that are mutating all the time, a few will be resistant to an individual antibiotic. While the antibiotic kills a large number of these bacteria, it can’t kill that small resistant percent - the resistant bacteria will keep multiplying and before too long, a new population of antibiotic resistant bacteria exists. The effect? In the near future, an innocent finger cut could lead to severe infection and death. By far, drug resistant diseases kill 700.000 people worldwide every year.
When using antibiotic the right way, one doesn’t give bacterias a chance to learn how to be resistant. But of course, we are doing our part to help the superbugs succeed, overusing and misusing antibiotics. Every year hundreds of thousands of people are prescribed antibiotics for viral infections - while antibiotics do not kill viruses! They should not be used to treat diseases caused by viral infections like most ear infections, colds, flu, most sore throats and most coughs. Bacterial infections cause: some ear infections, severe sinus infections, strep throat, urinary tract infections and wound or skin infections - and that’s when you should use antibiotics. If you actually get a bacterial infection and end up with an antibiotic, follow the guidelines and use it properly!
What’s more, only a small percentage of antibiotics prescribed are given to people. 80% of them are used for animals in industrialised farms. Many of those antibiotics are similar, if not identical to ones used to treat humans. By consuming the meat, we may also consume many of those antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, giving them a chance to mutate and become stronger. Having that in mind, try to make conscious consumer choices and buy good quality products. Do it for yourself and for entire human race:)
Check out the WHO report about antibiotic resistance:
And the short sum up video:
1. Have you ever heard about antibiotic resistant bacteria - superbug?
2. Do you often use antibiotics when you're sick?
https://www.theguardian.com/
I’ve used antibiotics only few times during my whole life and I’m fine. I know one doctor who “promotes” overusing and misusing antibiotics, that’s why I’ve changed my ambulatory. Do you have just a flu? ANTIBIOTIC! Have you ever had a cough? ANTIBIOTIC! I also know a lot of people who don’t have any knowledge about this topic and listen to that “antibiotic preacher”. This is how we are feeding superbugs… I’ve never heard word “superbugs”, but I have basic knowledge which should be common everywhere. That could prevent antibiotic-resistance of any “disease reasons”.
ReplyDeleteIf only everyone had your approach! The fact that doctors prescribe antibiotics so often is to me, completely outrageous. We should talk about the problem and raise awareness in schools, because soon it will be too late.
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ReplyDeleteLet me paste a link to a excellent video describing the problem:
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/C1LSWfEJtkA
watch from beginning to around 2:10.
I try not to use antibiotics at all. I'd rather spend 2 weeks in bed stuffing myself with "regular" medicine rather than take a dose of antibiotics. We are overusing them greatly and it will have a negative effect on our future.
Thanks for the link! Well explained indeed:)
DeleteThe problem is nowadays people don't have time to be sick. They want to get well as soon as possible and use antibiotics as a shortcut of a healing process.
Fortunately, I never had "super bacteria" :) but I remember that when I was little I had angina few times and otitis and doctors attributed antibiotics to me. Becoming older and more aware, I tried to heal in the most naturally as possible. My grandmother still buys me "Jerusalem drops" - a mixture of antibacterial, strengthening herbs.
ReplyDeleteIt is important that you mention antibiotics that we eat with meat. It is worth being aware of that
Angina is a bacterial infection and cannot be healed another way than with antibiotics. In less serious cases "natural antibiotics" like garlic should do the work:)
Delete1. Have you ever heard about antibiotic resistant bacteria - superbug?
ReplyDeleteOnly in movies :) I think there never will be something like this. (I hope so) Medicine made huge jumps and I believe we can find solution for every single bug. That's why we work on this topic.
2. Do you often use antibiotics when you're sick?
Not often. Last time when I used one is 5-6years ago. I need to feel almost dead and then i take some antibiotic.
Unfortunately it's already happening and people are already dying because of this problem. From what I know scientists work on a method to fix the superbug problem by developing special kind of bacteria that would fight antibiotic resistant strains.
DeleteWow, great article. Thank you. Few days ago when I was driving my car I listened broadcast about this topic. Probably in our country at the moment is a few persons with super antibiotic. This is not very dangerous yet, because super antibiotic will be mortal only if person will had a serious illness.
ReplyDeleteI think mutatuions of anthibiotic will be the hardest challange with our world. We should use carefully any medicines according to the doctor's recommendation.
I often used this type of medicines, but my girlfriend do not allow it.
Sadly, it can happen to anyone with lowered immunity after serious treatment - like chemo - and all patients going through surgeries. Here's a link explaining the process: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20150417/superbugs-what-they-are#1
Delete"Superbugs should be a concern to everyone," Coombes says. "Antibiotics are the foundation on which all modern medicine rests. Cancer chemotherapy, organ transplants, surgeries, and childbirth all rely on antibiotics to prevent infections. If you can't treat those, then we lose the medical advances we have made in the last 50 years."
1. Yes, I heard about it in a radio station. In my opinion it is a huge challenge for our humanity.
ReplyDelete2. I have not been ill for a long time. But if I am sick and doctor give me some antibiotics to use, I do it :)
When a doctor wants to prescribe antibiotics, always make sure if it's absolutely necessary. The best way to find out you got bacterial infection is to overtake the testing or the clinical evaluation. Here's a link on how to tell the difference between viral and bacterial infection on your own:
Deletehttps://www.wikihow.com/Tell-a-Viral-from-a-Bacterial-Infection
No, I have never heard about antibiotic resistant bacteria - superbug. In overall, in sounds creepy. I don’t like subjects such this one, but it’s hard to not talk about this. What can we do? Personally, I’m avoiding taking antibiotics when I’m sick. I heard it’s not healthy in overall, maybe it depends on kind of our sickness, because antibiotics are for specific kind of sickness. As you mentioned antibiotics don’t kill viruses and it’s true. When got a virus we should lay in beds and cure until we get better.
ReplyDeleteA great and indeed very important topic that will be one of our great health challenges in upcoming decades. If I recall correctly, we have some superbacteria just now in Poland? Or at least it's something that has been announced few days ago in most of the medias. It was said that it's antibiotic-resistant, so I guess that's a superbug you're refering to.
ReplyDeleteAs for antibiotics - to be honest I try my best to not take them until necessary. I do not get sick nowadays, but for most of the infections of myself or my kid, I just ask doctor precisely if antibiotic is necessary. If not, I ask for not prescribing it to avoid misuse.
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DeleteYes, you're absolutely right - I've been waiting for someone to mention the bug in Pomorze! Here's a short text in Polish (as there's no articles in English about the event) from just 4 days ago:
Deletehttp://www.tokfm.pl/Tokfm/7,130517,22878903,oxa-48-odporna-na-wszystkie-antybiotyki-jest-w-polsce-wykryto.html
It's good you mentioned children's infections - we should teach little ones about the risks of misusing heavy duty drugs. Lots of parents convince doctors to prescribe antibiotics, believing it's the best cure their children can get, while actually it's the opposite...
Yes, I've heard about superbug. In my opinion it will be one
ReplyDeleteof the biggest problems in future mankind history.
Hope sciencists find some solution soon. I've heard they're working
on it already. Personally I am trying not to use atibiotics.
Education is as always one of the most important things.
In Asia you can buy antibiotics without doctors recipe.
I know! When I was in Thailand I got sick and went to a pharmacy - lady gave me THREE different antibiotic types, one for cough, one for cold and another one for fever. I paid for them, not aware that those were antibiotics, but later I did a research and didn't take a single pill. No wonder first superbugs come from Asia!
DeleteI have heard about such a bacterium, but for now it is a rather good topic for the screenplay than reality. I recommend the famous Outbreak movie from 1995;).
ReplyDeleteAbout bipolar weapons in the form of bacteria or viruses were already thinking during the Second World War. Imagine a bacterium that attacks only people of a particular race, either with a specific color of hair or gender. It's still a terrifying vision.
I do not use antibiotics, I do not remember when I last swallowed them. All flu last about a week. In general, I rarely get sick, I recommend vitamin D in the winter-autumn period. Without the sun, we can not produce it, so on our latitude people have vitamin D deficiencies and are more likely to get ill.
1. Have you ever heard about antibiotic resistant bacteria - superbug?
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't heard about superbug, but I was always aware that bacteria can mutate and become immune for antibiotics. I hope that people will be able to develop proper medicament for mutated bacterias.
2. Do you often use antibiotics when you're sick?
I almost never use antibiotics. I only take it when it's really, really necessary. From what I know taking too much antibiotics lead to decresing their effectiveness to cure. Usually, I'm trying to cure myself with home-made ways.
At first, I would like to say that your article is very interesting. I read some article about same composition of analgesic. When I was in England and I got chicken pox, doctor gave me paracetamol. Not even special violet ointment which we use in Poland.
ReplyDeleteWhen I feel sick I try to cure myself by herbs, tea with ginger. That's more helpful for me. Indeed there are some situation, when herbs don't work, so then I use antibiotics.
I didn't heard about superbug, only in games :D
I've never heard of superbug or something like this. But I want to believe that we are so technologically developed so we can defeat every bug and disease. Maybe Im naive but that's my word. Lucky for me I'm not often sick. I don't even remember when the last time I was forced to take antibiotics. It gives me goosebumps when I hear about virus and bacteria mutations. Little brainless organism is never giving up and is trying to find always a new way to hurt us.
ReplyDeleteJust like they say: life finds a way! :)
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