Antibiotic Resistance

Michele Berg

Eng. 102

Sec.5232

The crisis we are facing

• Miracle made• The good years• Emerging resistance• Animal pharming• Doctors and patients• How can we help

Miracle made

• In 1928 Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin through a contaminated Petri dish.

Help from the War

• World War II really put the production of antibiotics into overdrive because of the need to cure bacterial infections in soldiers.

The Good Years

• “The introduction of antibiotics into medical practice heralded the opening of an era in which literally millions of people- all slated for death or invalidism-were spared” (Fisher, 12)

Wonder drug

• Although scientists had predicted that resistance would start to be seen penicillin was given out like candy. It was seen as a wonder drug.

Emerging Resistance

• Almost immediately after the discovery of penicillin scientists saw bacteria becoming resistant to it.(Bunyard,2002)

Resistance occurs in 3 ways

• Natural mutation• Sharing of DNA through microbial sexual reproduction• Natural selection

Natural Selection

• Antibiotics “select” resistant bacteria by killing all the susceptible bacteria and leaving a few resistant ones behind. If the body cannot fight these few bacteria because it is in a weakened state these bacteria flourish and grow.

Animal Pharming

Environment

• “antibiotics are routinely added to feed and water to prevent disease and promote growth. This long term, low dose exposure to antibiotics is more likely to result in resistant bacteria than short term antibiotic use to treat sick animals.” (microbe world)

• This practice potentially leads to contaminated food and water supply and spread of resistant bacteria from animal to human.

Doctors and Patients

• One of the biggest factors contributing to antibiotic resistance is the blatant overuse of antibiotics

Doctors and Patients

• “More than 50 million of the 150 million prescriptions written each year for patients outside of hospitals are unnecessary.” (Norenberg 1998)

• Doctors continue to prescribe antibiotics routinely for viral infections such as colds and the flu. Even though doctors know that antibiotics have no effect on viruses.

• Patients often pressure their doctors to prescribe antibiotics because they mistakenly believe they will alleviate their symptoms

How can we stop this?

• Hand washing with good old soap and water

• Educating yourself on bacterial resistance

• Only taking antibiotics when absolutely necessary

• Take the antibiotics exactly as prescribed.

Sources

• Nordenburg, Tamar “Miracle Drugs vs. Superbugs” FDA Consumer Magazine, Sept. 1995 US Food and Drug Administration July 11,2007 http://www.fda.gov/fdac.features/795.antibio.html

• Fisher, Jeffery A. The Plague Makers. New York, New York 1994. Simon And Schuster. Pgs 256

• Bunyard, Peter “Breeding the Superbug” Ecologist vol.32 Academic Search Premier. March 2002, EBSCOhost. Glendale Community College Library Media Center. Glendale AZ. 16 June 2007.