Whats this Antibiotic Resistance?

Mamma i am having headache and little fever, please help. Son go to the room and take a paracetamol.

It seems mamma is doctor. No its not like that, its just that some simple antibiotics are easily available to people, for which they don't require any prescription of any doctor.

Some simple Antibiotics like Crocin, Paracetamol have become a part of our life, we don't think even once before taking them and why would we, when they provide us an instant relief. Antibiotics are nothing but simple agents that stop the growth of microbes that causes infections or kill them. Antibiotics were one of  the greatest achievement in medical science as it brought with it cure of many deadly diseases and infections and hence they owe a great presence in the medical science. When we go to a doctor its next to impossible that our prescription would be complete without an antibiotics. Even doctors in order to cure patients quickly prescribe antibiotics.

Well what is the problem with prescribing antibiotics when it cures us quickly, infact it is good for mankind. Yes, this was a misunderstood phenomenon till few years from now when doctors found that taking antibiotics on regular basis can cause antibiotic resistance. Can you imagine a world, when these antibiotics won't work as, infection causing microbes, will become resistant to it and will have no effect on them.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when germs outsmart drugs. Antibiotic resistance evolves naturally via natural selection ie survival of the fittest, due to which those bacteria that survive from antibiotics attack transfer the genetic information to its offspring. If a bacterium carries several resistance genes, it is called multiresistant or, informally, a super-bug.

So, what is fueling antibiotic resistance, you may ask? Its the widespread overuse and incorrect prescription. 

 So, what can we do to prevent antibiotic resistance? Well it is clear that it cannot be achieved by only one section like doctors, but it requires a combined community approach that can help us to achieve it.

Patients can:

•Take antibiotics exactly as the doctor prescribes. Do not skip doses. Complete the prescribed course of treatment, even when you start feeling better.

•Only take antibiotics prescribed for you; do not share or use leftover antibiotics. Antibiotics treat specific types of infections.

•Do not ask for antibiotics when your doctor thinks you do not need them.

•Prevent infections by practicing good hand hygiene and getting recommended.

India government had also taken measures to stop it. It has made it mandatory for all the chemists to keep a record of all antibiotics that they have sold. No chemist can sell antibiotics without the prescription of doctor and they have to keep a copy of prescription for 6 months.These are good measures but the implementation of such measures should also be as strong.

So start taking measures at your level to stop the development of the super-bug which if developed will have no cure.