HOW TO REMEDY ANTIBIOTICS RESISTANCE

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WHAT IS AN ANTIBIOTIC?
An antibiotic is a chemical substance derived from micro-organisms and can be used for curing certain ailments.

HISTORY
Antibiotics was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1929 and it was discovered accidentally when he noticed that his agar plate was contaminated by a strange strain of micro-organisms which prevented the originally cultivated organism from growing . He later discovered that this was due to a chemical substance secreted by the strange strain and he called it "penicillin". However, penicillin was not put to use until after the death of Alexander Fleming.

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MECHANISM OF ACTION
Antibiotics work by binding to certain binding sites on the micro-organism and causing cell lyzes. It can also block the intake of food by the micro-organism and thus cause death.

WHAT IS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE?
Antibiotic resistance simply implies that the micro-organism is no more responsive to the antibiotic which it was once responsive to. In other words, the antibiotics does not work anymore.

WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Antibiotic resistance is caused by:
-drug abuse
-self medication
-non-compliance
-under-dosing

If the patient does any of these things, the micro-organism will get used to the antibiotic and with time it will not work again.

HOW CAN WE MINIMIZE ANTIBIOTIC REAISTANCE?
-Shun drug abuse
-abstain from self-medication : take only drugs prescribed by a qualified medical personnel.
-avoid under-dosing: take all your drugs even if the symptoms resolve.
Ensure compliance.

Antibiotic resistance is a big problem in the health sector as we are having more and more strains of micro-organisms which does not respond to the routine antibiotics. This is even more worse as the number of new antibiotics introduced into the market are scanty. Individuals and government bodies must take steps to curb antibiotics resistance.

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