Understanding Drug Resistance

I don’t mean drug resistance in the sense that you should say no to drugs, which you should, except the ones your doctor prescribes. What I mean by drug resistance is when the germs, bacteria or anything that’s microscopic and makes you ill develops the ability to defeat the drugs you took to fight them. Fancier terms for this coup include antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial resistance – depending on the culprits in question. Before we go any further, I’d like to get into everything infections;

Germs

Germs are microbes that include bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. Microbes are just very small, microscopic living organisms.

Bacteria

Also microbes, they fall under the germ umbrella and they cause infections like throat infections and stomach flus. Bacteria can be combated with antibiotics.

Fungi

Fungi causes common infections like athlete’s foot and yeast infections. Fungi infections are particularly pesky and are treated with antifungal drugs. 

Pathogens

Pathogens are harmful germs. Let me explain – most germs are harmless, some even helpful to people, while others are not as gracious. The ones that cause infections are called pathogens.

Antimicrobials

Antimicrobials aren’t microbes or anything. They refer to drugs that treat various types of infections by killing or slowing down the growth of pathogens responsible for said infections. 

What Is Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance or antimicrobial resistance happens when germs like bacteria develop the ability to defeat the drug designed to kill them. What this means is they either continue to grow or they simply don’t die. It is as nasty as it sounds, with millions of infections every year from antibiotic-resistant infections and tens of thousands of deaths from the same. As a health problem, it is right up there with the potential to affect practically anyone. 

Resistance to just one particular drug is as dangerous as resistance to every antibiotic. Imagine a nasty infection resistant to the drug your doctor prescribed, that would mean you will require the use of second-or-third line treatments. These extra treatments can cause serious side effects like organ failure and sometimes months-long recovery time not to mention rocketing the cost of treatment – scary, I know. That is the cost of antibiotic resistance.

How Does Antimicrobial Resistance Occur? 

Now that we know just what is antibiotic resistance, let’s dive into just how these microbes orchestrate these coups;

Ditch the Antibiotics

Sometimes, germs get rid of antimicrobials entirely. They do this by using pumps in their cell walls to remove the antibiotic that has entered their cell wall.

Restrict Access of the Antibiotic

Germs restrict access by changing the entryways or by limiting the number of entryways. For example, gram-negative bacteria have an extra layer that protects them from their environment. These bacteria can now use this membrane to selectively keep antibiotic drugs from entering.

Change the Targets for the Antibiotic

A lot of antibiotics are designed to single out and destroy parts of a bacterium. Germs change the antibiotic’s target, the part it’s supposed to destroy, so the drug can no longer fit the bill nor do its job right.

Bypass Effects of the Antibiotic

Microbes develop new cell processes that avoid using the antibiotics target.

How You Can Avoid Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance usually happens naturally. Be that as it may, misuse of antibiotics can further accelerate the vice. As an individual, or potential patient for that matter, you can minimize the risk of developing antimicrobial resistance and avoid the cost of antibiotic resistance altogether. The most important part would be using antibiotics only when prescribed by your doctor – effectively avoiding said misuse. You may also want to follow your doctor’s advice to the latter while at it.

Impact of Antibiotic Resistance

The cost of antimicrobial resistance on society and on individuals is staggering to say the least. Infections can no longer be treated by first line antibiotics. More expensive medication is needed, further raising the cost of treatment.

The worst part of the cost of antimicrobial resistance is basically putting the achievements of modern medicine at risk. Without effective antibiotics to treat potential infections, even the most routine of procedures and surgeries are rendered even more dangerous.