The prevalent use of antibiotics is estimated to have extended average life expectancy by two decades changing the pattern from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases.
Antibiotics are medications used in treating bacterial infections rather than viral infections such as the common cold, influenza. Examples of these drugs are penicillin, amoxicillin, flucloxacillin, doxycycline. However, their misuse can lead to antibiotic resistance and adverse effects. Antibiotic resistance occurs when antibiotics no longer work against disease-causing bacteria. This is one of the biggest public health challenges of our time.
They work by attacking bacteria in our bodies either by killing or halting the bacteria from growing and reproducing further.
Scope of the Problem
However, According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to one-third to one-half of antibiotics used by individuals is unnecessary and inappropriate. This is why it is always best to consult a doctor or pharmacist before starting a course of antibiotics.
New resistance mechanisms are becoming prominent and spreading across the globe, threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases. Infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, STDs are becoming harder and sometimes impossible to treat because antibiotics have become less effective.
In countries, where these medications can be bought by individuals without prescription, the pose emergence and spread of resistance are made worse. And without immediate action, we are heading for a post-antibiotic era in which common infections and minor injuries can once again kill.
Risks
Studies show that not only does it increase in antibiotic resistance but:
- It increases disease severity.
- it increases disease length.
- it also increases health complications.
On the basis of the World Health Organization (WHO) says “the world urgently needs to change the way it prescribes and uses antibiotics” as antibiotic resistance is a major threat.
Health is the greatest possession.
Be antibiotic aware today.
Why not consult a doctor first, for Health they say is Wealth.
