Many are harmless and, in many cases, can even be helpful.
Some bacteria, however, can be harmful if they put in your body or touch your skin.
This allows the bacteria to continue living and growing.
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This results in antibiotic resistance.
Which Groups Are Most at Risk?
Antibiotic resistance can affect anyone.
How Bacteria Fight Against Antibiotics
There are a few mechanisms bacteriause to fight back against antibiotics.
Bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics can multiply and produce more antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
They can also pass on this information to other bacteria that have not been exposed to the antibiotic.
They do this by using mobile genetic elements.
As new antibiotics have been developed, bacteria have continued to adapt to combat the effects of antibiotics.
Slowing down antibiotic resistance is possible by using antibiotics appropriately and only when needed.
However, if antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause these infections, healthcare professionals must use alternative antibiotics to treat them.
Some alternative treatments may not work as well as the original antibiotic.
Antibiotic-resistant infections take longer to treat and may require people to remain hospitalized longer than usual.
This, in turn, increases their risk of developing other infections.
People do not become resistant to antibiotics.
Instead, bacteria naturally develop mechanisms that make it difficult for antibiotics to kill them.
Once bacteria become antibiotic-resistant, they can pass on their genes to other bacteria that also become resistant.
Antibiotic resistance limits the antibiotics available to treat serious infections.
This can result in longer recovery time, increased risk of additional infections, and even death.
For this reason, it’s important to follow guidelines for appropriate antibiotic use.
This includes taking antibiotics exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes them and not sharing your medication with others.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About antimicrobial resistance.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance facts.
2022 Oct 1;400(10358):1102. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02653-2].Lancet.
World Health Organization.Antimicrobial resistance.
2013;10(9):4274-4305. doi:10.3390/ijerph10094274
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.Antibiotic resistance.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthy habits: antibiotic do’s and don’ts.
