The problem of Pan-resistant Bacteria
I hope you all have a good weekend, and do not stop taking care of your health, this is something very important. A few weeks ago I made a publication in which I talked about antibiotics, how they act and a very important issue came up that without a doubt can be a real chaos if it materializes (in fact it already happened) and especially if that happens massively, and this is the Bacterial resistance to all existing antibiotics, which is known as Panresistance.
I can literally say that this is a big problem just thinking about it, I will put it like this: imagine that there is a bacterial infection that threatens the life of people, that can lead to death quickly but there is no antibiotic to fight it. None of the 30 existing antibiotics can protect us, and it could be said that a person infected with that bacterium will have a certain death.
What is described above has already happened in a certain way, and it is something that we must prevent from spreading globally because if it does, the Covid19 pandemic could remain a mild one. If you want to know more details about it, I invite you to keep reading, because what I am about to tell you will surely interest you.
A brief summary of what is a bacterium:
A bacterium is a type of single-celled microorganism found everywhere in nature. They can be pathogenic (i.e., cause disease) or non-pathogenic (do not cause disease).
Bacteria reproduce by simple cell division and can survive in a variety of environments, including soil, water and the human body. Not all bacteria are harmful; some are even useful for food and drug production, while others can cause serious diseases such as meningitis, pneumonia, and sepsis.
Virtually all known bacteria are killed by antibiotics. These drugs work by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria.
And it is these drugs that make us feel safe from any infection, as they have the ability to kill bacteria by various mechanisms and restore our health. But what if bacteria find a way to defend themselves against all existing antibiotics and there is no way to eliminate them?
Unfortunately this is already happening. I recently read an article from Argentina where a Klebsiella Pneumoniae was discovered that is resistant to all antibiotics that are commonly used. These bacteria are known as Panresistant Bacteria.
A pan-resistant bacterium is a bacterium that is resistant to several different types of antibiotics. This means that it is difficult to treat and control the infection caused by these bacteria. Antibiotic resistance often develops due to overuse or inappropriate use of antibiotics, which allows bacteria to survive and reproduce.
The most studied examples of pan-resistant bacteria include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains. But a few days ago another pan-resistant bacterium was discovered. This set off alarm bells throughout Argentina, and evidently globally.
Bacterial resistance is generated for various reasons, I have already discussed it above, but I could say that the main causes of resistance are the following:
- Excessive or inappropriate use of antibiotics: Excessive or inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to the selection of resistant strains of bacteria. This is something very common here where I live, even in pharmacies the same workers of these premises often offer intramuscular and intravenous treatment administration.
The problem is that, for example, if someone has flu discomfort, they administer a physiological solution with steroid, diclofenac and amoxicillin, for example, one dose, achieving a temporary "improvement", at least for a few hours in the person who receives it, and already, there is no continuity in the use of antibiotics.
Exposing a bacterium to an antibiotic only once and not continuing treatment until it is eliminated is giving it the tools to learn to defend itself and create resistance. This is madness.
- Self-medication: the use of antibiotics without a prescription can contribute to resistance because the person is not being properly treated for their disease.
Another serious problem. In pharmacies, at least here in Colombia, they focus on the sale, but not on whether the person really deserves the antibiotic. This is how any person goes to a pharmacy, asks for amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, or even clindamycin, or any other similar drug without the need of a medical report indicating a diagnosis that supports the use of the drug, and they sell it to them, no more, no less.
Failure to complete treatment: If a person does not complete treatment with an antibiotic, bacteria can survive and develop resistance. As I explained in the first point.
Use of antibiotics in the food industry: The use of antibiotics in the food industry to promote animal growth and prevent disease can contribute to the development of bacterial resistance. Another major problem that is almost unchecked.
- Globalization and facilitated transport, makes microorganisms move more easily and spread more rapidly. This was the main pathway for the spread of Covid, but the same can happen with bacteria.
The reality is that this is widely known by health authorities, but little is being done to combat it. After reading that article from Argentina I was thinking about it, and I said to myself: we are creating bacterial monsters.
And the biggest problem is that I do not see that this is going to end, so I do not know if it will really be the third world war, if it becomes nuclear, which will end humanity in a short time, or it will be these microscopic monsters that will do the lethal job.
I hope that there will be an awareness of this at some point, because if we keep going the way we are going, there will come a point where there will be no turning back. And I think it's easy to counteract this trend, don't you think?. I think it's really easy, but still, it's not being done.
Thank you very much for reading this publication, if you have something to add you can leave it in the comments and so we all benefit.
Bacteria resistance is something to worry about because then treating infections and diseases become a headache, these microbes are so smart in adapting that we have to be particular when taking antibiotics. Which is why it is not advisable for people to be buying them and using them without proper diagnosis and guidance from a physician.
People have lost their lives due to such habits and the education goes on, i am glad to read this, i hope that many other read and get to know about the situation
This is a problem I have faced here on a constant basis, people prefer to go to the pharmacy and take what the salesperson tells them to take. And they don't like to go to hospital centers, unless it's an emergency.
Thank you very much for your comment.
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When it reach to this point wow
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I think it is something that can scare, but I hope that we do not experience anything global as a result of these crazy things.
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