Transcript Berg - GCC - Glendale Community College

Antibiotic Resistance
Michele Berg
Eng. 102
Sec.5232
The crisis we are facing
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Miracle made
The good years
Emerging resistance
Animal pharming
Doctors and patients
How can we help
Miracle made
• In 1928 Alexander
Fleming accidentally
discovered penicillin
through a
contaminated Petri
dish.
Help from the War
• World War II really put
the production of
antibiotics into
overdrive because of
the need to cure
bacterial infections in
soldiers.
The Good Years
• “The introduction of
antibiotics into
medical practice
heralded the opening
of an era in which
literally millions of
people- all slated for
death or invalidismwere spared” (Fisher,
12)
Wonder drug
• Although scientists had predicted that resistance
would start to be seen penicillin was given out
like candy. It was seen as a wonder drug.
Emerging Resistance
• Almost immediately
after the discovery of
penicillin scientists
saw bacteria
becoming resistant to
it.(Bunyard,2002)
Resistance occurs in 3 ways
• Natural mutation
• Sharing of DNA through microbial sexual reproduction
• Natural selection
Natural Selection
• Antibiotics “select” resistant bacteria by killing all
the susceptible bacteria and leaving a few
resistant ones behind. If the body cannot fight
these few bacteria because it is in a weakened
state these bacteria flourish and grow.
Animal Pharming
Environment
• “antibiotics are routinely added to feed and
water to prevent disease and promote growth.
This long term, low dose exposure to antibiotics
is more likely to result in resistant bacteria than
short term antibiotic use to treat sick animals.”
(microbe world)
• This practice potentially leads to contaminated
food and water supply and spread of resistant
bacteria from animal to human.
Doctors and Patients
• One of the biggest
factors contributing to
antibiotic resistance is
the blatant overuse of
antibiotics
Doctors and Patients
• “More than 50 million of the 150 million prescriptions written each
year for patients outside of hospitals are unnecessary.” (Norenberg
1998)
• Doctors continue to prescribe antibiotics routinely for viral infections
such as colds and the flu. Even though doctors know that antibiotics
have no effect on viruses.
• Patients often pressure their doctors to prescribe antibiotics because
they mistakenly believe they will alleviate their symptoms
How can we stop this?
• Hand washing with
good old soap and
water
• Educating yourself on
bacterial resistance
• Only taking antibiotics
when absolutely
necessary
• Take the antibiotics
exactly as prescribed.
Sources
• Nordenburg, Tamar “Miracle Drugs vs. Superbugs” FDA Consumer
Magazine, Sept. 1995 US Food and Drug Administration July
11,2007 http://www.fda.gov/fdac.features/795.antibio.html
• Fisher, Jeffery A. The Plague Makers. New York, New York 1994.
Simon And Schuster. Pgs 256
• Bunyard, Peter “Breeding the Superbug” Ecologist vol.32 Academic
Search Premier. March 2002, EBSCOhost. Glendale Community
College Library Media Center. Glendale AZ. 16 June 2007.