Some antibiotics are now less effective than they once were, or worse yet, have lost their effectiveness altogether. The primary reasons? Overuse and misuse, such as using antibiotics when there is no need. And the consequences can be serious indeed.
Antibiotics are medications that kill harmful bacteria that make people sick. They’re used to treat everything from strep throat to sexually transmitted diseases.
But the bacteria that antibiotics target are living, adaptive organisms. Those sickness-inducing bacteria that aren’t eliminated after a course of antibiotic treatment can survive and pass on their future generations’ resistance. Some bacteria go a stealthy step further, conveying resistance to other types of bacteria.
While bacteria are expected to evolve and develop resistance to medication over time, the inappropriate use of antibiotics has sped up this process. How widespread is the problem? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that at least 30 percent of prescribed antibiotics aren’t necessary.
Unfortunately, for far too many of us, taking an antibiotic is on par with taking over-the-counter medications for aches and pains. But this casual approach has serious consequences.
Today, curing some bacterial illnesses requires more rounds of antibiotic medications than in the past. Not only does this mean that people can stay sicker for longer, antibiotics are not particularly discriminatory so that they can weaken or kill all kinds of bacteria in their wake. These include friendly bacteria that live in our systems and help us easily digest food, for example. Thus, the more antibiotics people take, the more they may suffer side effects such as indigestion, diarrhea, and other issues.
More worrisome still: Some once-powerful antibiotics have completely lost their efficacy. According to the CDC, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are responsible for at least 2.8 million infections and more than 35,000 deaths in the U.S. every year.
The good news is that we can—and should—take steps to stop the antibiotic-resistant tide.
Antibiotics have saved millions of lives. It’s our collective responsibility to ensure these bacteria-fighting superpowers save countless more by using them responsibly.
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