Hey, Steemians today I will be talking about antibiotic resistance. A new study has shown that regular surfers are three times more likely to have antibiotic resistance E.coli in their gut than non-surfers.

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So let’s just start with what is antibiotic resistance and how it is happens.

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections. 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.

Antibiotic resistance leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays and increased mortality. Antibiotic resistance can affect anyone of any age, in any country. It may occur naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the process.

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HOW BACTERIA BECOME RESISTANT TO ANTIBIOTICS

Overuse and misuse of antibiotics can promote the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Every time a person takes antibiotics, sensitive bacteria are killed, but resistant bacteria are left to grow and multiply.

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Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics through several ways. Some bacteria can “neutralize” an antibiotic by changing it in a way that makes it harmless. Others have learned how to pump an antibiotic back outside of the bacteria before it can do any harm. Some bacteria can change their outer structures so the antibiotics have no way to attach to the bacteria it is designed to kill.

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The above image shows how bacterial cells changes the permeability of cell to decrease uptake of antibiotics. Efflux pumps are very common in bacteria and can transport various molecules like signal molecules and nutrients. So these efflux pumps are transporting the antibiotics outside the bacterial cell. Bacterial enzymes also play role in inactivating the antibiotics, for example, beta-lactamase that destroy lactam ring, the active component of penicillin which is used for treating human infections.

Surfers are three times more likely to have antibiotic-resistant E.coli in gut compared to non-surfers!!!

A study conducted by a group from the University of Exeter they compared the faecal samples from surfers and non-surfers and found that the surfers gut contained E.coli bacteria that are able to grow in presence of cefotaxime, a commonly used and clinically important antibiotic. Previously the antibiotic has been prescribed to kill off these bacteria, but some of them have acquired genes that enable them to survive this treatment.

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One reason can be for this problem is that despite extensive operations to clean up coastal water and beaches, bacteria which are potentially harmful to humans still enters the coastal area through sewage and waste pollution from sources including water run-off from crops treated with manure. The group also demonstrated that prevalence of cefotaxime resistant E.coli in UK bathing waters as well as the prevalence of the mobile resistance gene that makes bacteria cefotaxime resistant. They found that surfers are particularly vulnerable to ingesting the bacteria because they swallow up to ten times more waters then sea swimmers.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. So on an individual level, all should use antibiotics only when it is prescribed and consume hygienically prepared food. And policymakers can strengthen policies, programs, and implementation of infection prevention and control measures. Regulate and promote the appropriate use and disposal of quality medicines.

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Happy Reading :)

Vinamra