Antibiotic resistance is one of the world's biggest threat to human and animal lives. This post is targeted to people who practice self medication, especially here in Africa. A very large number of people living in Africa when they fall sick, instead of seeking the doctor they tend to self medicate by purchasing drugs from local retailers.
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Have you ever wondered why the drug that heal you from a particular medical condition doesn't work on you again until you double the initial dosage? If yes, then read on. I will focus solely on antibiotic resistance since it possess more dangers on our lives than others.
Antibiotics are anti-bacteria drugs which kills or negate bacterias causing infection. Antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed drugs because of their great importance in treatment and prevention of infections caused by bacterias. But since recent times, it has been discovered that these bacterias one way or the other have built resistance towards these drugs in an alarming rate. Researchers stopped seeking for new ways to combat this issue because of the high cost of research and low profitability.
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Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic Resistance is a condition whereby bacterias tend to resist the effect of antibiotic drugs i.e these drugs no longer kills or negate their activities. This condition posses great danger because there will be no way to kill or nullify these bacterias which may result to the death of the victim. Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but we as humans accelerate this condition in the process of abusing antibiotic drugs. Some of the ways are discussed below.
Overusage of antibiotics
In so many countries especially here in Africa, purchase and prescription of drugs are not monitored or regulated by government creating opportunities for easy access to these drugs and overusage by people. Over usage of these drugs supports genetic alterations (mutation) within bacterias. When these bacterias mutates successfully, they pass the gene to the next generation and it goes on and on building more complicated resistant bacterias.
Not completing prescription / under dosage
Sometimes when drugs are prescribed to us and we take the first few dosage, we seem to be ok and then we stop medication. In the process of not completing your prescription, some bacterias may survive and these bacterias will reinforce to become very resistant to that drug.
Lack of new drugs
Most pharmaceutical companies hault research for new antibiotic drugs because of it high cost and low profitability. Also, the masses are not willing to pay huge amounts for antibiotics since they are only used for a short period of time.
Misuse of antibiotics in agriculture
The use of antibiotics in livestock agriculture has also contributed to antibiotic resistance by bacterias. Antibiotics are used in treatment and promoting the growth of livestocks so as to increase higher yield and quality product. The antibiotics given to these animals kills or suppresses the bacterias and the resistant ones are injested by humans when these animals are consumed. The injested bacterias can cause serious health issues. Also, these bacterias are passed through these animal urea onto the environment, thereby increasing the wide spread of resistant bacterias in the environment.
Prevention and control of antibiotic resistant bacteria
Always make sure to complete your antibiotics course prescribed to you. Making sure to complete your antibiotics course will completely kill or nullify these bacterias
Only make use of antibiotics prescribed by a certified health personnel.
Stop the practice of self medication. Sometimes, the infection you have may not be caused by bacterias, it maybe caused by virus.
Only consume livestocks that are free from antibiotics used in promoting growth.
We should try as much to educate people more about antibiotic resistance and the implications of self medication. This will go a long way in reducing the rate of proliferation of these bacterias.
Let's not wait until the day we are told that the only medication to our medical condition won't work on us before heeding to this warning. Thank you for reading.
References
World Health Organisation (2018). Antibiotic Resistance. Retrieved on Aug15,2018 from http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antibiotic-resistance
Fair R.J. et al., (2014). Antibiotics and Bacterial Resistance in the 21st Century. Perspect Medicin Chem. Retrieved Aug 15, 2018 fronm https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4159373/
Llor C., Bjerrum L. (2014) . Antimicrobial resistance: risk associated with antibiotic overuse and initiatives to reduce the problem. Ther Adv Drug Saf. Retrieved Aug 15, 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4232501/#
Ventola C.L. (2015). The Antibiotic Resistance Crisis. P T. Retrieved Aug 15, 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378521/#