AMMAN — Many Jordanians are familiar with antibiotics like
Zithromax and Amoclan. Associating these medications with common colds, they often
resort to taking them without a doctors’ prescriptions. Doing so may lead to
serious health risks.
اضافة اعلان
Antibiotics are only used to treat bacterial infections. Bacteria
are micro-sized organisms that enter our bodies and make us sick. In our lifetime,
we are more likely to be infected by viruses than bacteria. Viral infections, like
the flu or the common cold, cannot be treated with antibiotics. As such, most
coughs and sore throats cannot be treated with antibiotics.
Self-diagnosis can also lead to serious
health risks.
Doctors must conduct tests to confirm and identify the type of bacteria that is
infecting your body. These tests are crucial because not every bacterium can be
treated with the same antibiotic. Bacteria range in complexity and structure,
and each antibiotic works in a specific manner to help your body fight off the
infection.
What is Antibiotic Resistance?
Antibiotic Resistance (AR) is a global concern. Bacteria,
which are rapid-growing, mutating organisms, can develop defenses against our
medicines in short periods of time. A popular example of this is the MRSA
(Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) case. Methicillin is an
antibiotic developed in 1960, and it belongs to the penicillin class. It was a
narrow spectrum antibiotic used to treat a small group of bacteria called Staphylococcus
aureus (S. aureus). Within the same year, a strain of S. aureus became
resistant to methicillin, effectively rendering the medication useless and
ultimately obsolete.
Later, doctors started treating S. aureus and MRSA
infections with vancomycin — an antibiotic that treats bacterial infections resistant
to other forms of medication. Some resistance to vancomycin can be seen as
early as 1988, but in 2002, the emergence of VRSA (Vancomycin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus) threatened this medication’s effectiveness. Once a bacterium
develops resistance, there is not much that can be done apart from controlling
the spread of the strain and developing new antibiotics.
What causes AR?
AR is a multifactorial process that occurs through proper and
improper use of antibiotics. However, the major cause of antibiotic resistance is
inappropriate use.
Most people want a quick solution to feeling sick, but in reality,
there is no easy fix. Treating acute infections requires time, and it is up to
your body to fight off the infection. In healthy individuals, bacterial
infections may be treated in a day, and symptoms may take up to a couple of
weeks to subside if no antibiotics were used. Many common bacterial infections,
such as sinus infections and some ear infections, do not warrant the use of
medical intervention. However, if your symptoms worsen, you must visit a
clinic
or hospital.
Additionally, some people who previously
had bacterial infections think they can retake the same antibiotic to treat
their infection. This is commonly seen in people with urinary tract
infections (UTI). UTIs are bacterial infections that are caused by different
types of bacteria. Ciprofloxacin is prescribed to treat this condition, but the
inappropriate use of this medication may cause further harm. As in the case of vancomycin,
resistance to ciprofloxacin began to emerge in the Neisseria gonorrhoeae
species. Overusing this medication may also cause different species of bacteria
to become resistant.
Stopping the medication course prematurely due to an
improvement in symptoms is detrimental to the fight against AR, allowing
surviving bacteria to continue to multiply.
Abuse in Jordan
Abuse of antibiotics in Jordan is systemic and complex. In
the medical field, pharmacies hold a large responsibility since a study found
that 80 percent of people follow pharmacists’ advice. The study concluded that
the public’s knowledge and awareness about the use of antibiotics and AR was
generally poor.
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