By Joel Kosisochukwu
Antibiotics are a group of drugs specifically synthesized/developed to treat infections caused by bacteria only. They cannot be used to treat infections caused by fungi or viruses. Antibiotics stop or treat bacterial infections either by killing the bacteria or stopping them from growing, reproducing or developing; and in this case they are mainly classified into Bactericidal (those that can kill bacteria) and Bacteriostatic (those that do not kill directly but stop them from growing, reproducing or developing).
In the whole world today, the use of antibiotics has been on the increase; especially in the underdeveloped regions where there is less knowledge of the effects of the abuse of these antibiotics. Nigeria is not left out here as majority of the populace are yet to understand the dangers of incessantly taking antibiotics even when they are not needed.
Over the years, the continuous use of antibiotics has brought about the evolution of “Antibiotic-Resistant Microorganisms”. This has posed danger to the entire health profession as microbes especially bacteria keep becoming resistant to the available antibiotics in use. Antibiotic resistance refers to the ability of bacterial pathogens to resist the effects of the drugs being used against them, thus rendering the drugs ineffective. In this case, drugs which were ordinarily effective against a particular or group of bacteria may not be able to treat infections and diseases caused by the same bacteria and they become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat. When this happens the resistant bacteria no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.
In a bid to reduce the emergence or spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of microbes, the following guidelines should be adopted:
1. No prescribing of antibiotics for coughs and colds or viral sore throats.
2. Limit prescribing for uncomplicated cystitis to three days for otherwise fit women.
3. Limit or totally stop prescribing of antibiotics over the telephone.
4. The phrase “Mix it with antibiotics” should be stopped. Stop taking antibiotics anyhow, they are dangerous!
5. The underuse of antibiotics or dropping of the drugs when symptoms begin to improve should be stopped. Even when you are getting ok, continue taking the drugs as prescribed by a trained health expert.
6. Do not take antibiotics meant for another person. “I have some drugs left from the ones the Dr gave me last week, go and take it”. The quoted statement should never be tolerated, it is dangerous to do that!
7. Before the initiation of antibiotics treatment, susceptibility test should be done to check the most effective drugs and to avoid financial wastage.
Biomedical Students Mentorship and Research Society 