Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
Maricia Overly
Professor Ellen Doyle
South University Online
July 30, 2011
Abstract
“Super Bugs” (Clemmitt, 2007) are beginning to take control of our health. Antibiotic resistance has enabled germs that once caused very little harm the ability to leave us in dire straights. The worst part of these “Super Bugs” (Clemmitt, 2007) is that people can be walking around with them infecting others without knowing it. Evolution of bugs due to the overuse of antibiotics has left us almost defenseless. Many reports have been released about this growing epidemic.
Antibiotic resistance is when bacteria become immune to the effects of an antibiotic. This occurs because of two reasons. The first reason is the overuse of antibiotics while the second is due to the fact that “bacteria naturally develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs.” (Clemmitt, 2007) One example of a “super bug” is the ever so popularly known- MRSA. MRSA stands for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus. (cdc.gov, 2007 as cited by Clemmitt, 2007) MRSA has two different kinds- CA-MRSA is community acquired MRSA and HA-MRSA which is hospital acquired MRSA. (Clemmitt, 2007)
To reduce the risk of creating “super bugs” the doctors urge patients to take all of the prescribed medicine because the medicine may have only killed the weaker strands of bacteria and not the entire colony of bacteria in our bodies. This can cause the bacteria to mutate and become resistant to antibiotics. The doctors also urge patients not to take an antibiotic if it is not purely necessary because a person’s body can fight off some infections itself. Giving an antibiotic when it is not needed also creates a problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
The problem these resistant bacteria are causing creates a whole new level of worry for the FDA and the CDC. Because these bugs cannot be effectively eliminated puts many people’s lives in danger of dying from a once very
Maricia Overly
Professor Ellen Doyle
South University Online
July 30, 2011
Abstract
“Super Bugs” (Clemmitt, 2007) are beginning to take control of our health. Antibiotic resistance has enabled germs that once caused very little harm the ability to leave us in dire straights. The worst part of these “Super Bugs” (Clemmitt, 2007) is that people can be walking around with them infecting others without knowing it. Evolution of bugs due to the overuse of antibiotics has left us almost defenseless. Many reports have been released about this growing epidemic.
Antibiotic resistance is when bacteria become immune to the effects of an antibiotic. This occurs because of two reasons. The first reason is the overuse of antibiotics while the second is due to the fact that “bacteria naturally develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs.” (Clemmitt, 2007) One example of a “super bug” is the ever so popularly known- MRSA. MRSA stands for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus. (cdc.gov, 2007 as cited by Clemmitt, 2007) MRSA has two different kinds- CA-MRSA is community acquired MRSA and HA-MRSA which is hospital acquired MRSA. (Clemmitt, 2007)
To reduce the risk of creating “super bugs” the doctors urge patients to take all of the prescribed medicine because the medicine may have only killed the weaker strands of bacteria and not the entire colony of bacteria in our bodies. This can cause the bacteria to mutate and become resistant to antibiotics. The doctors also urge patients not to take an antibiotic if it is not purely necessary because a person’s body can fight off some infections itself. Giving an antibiotic when it is not needed also creates a problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
The problem these resistant bacteria are causing creates a whole new level of worry for the FDA and the CDC. Because these bugs cannot be effectively eliminated puts many people’s lives in danger of dying from a once very
References: Clemmitt, M. (2007, August 24). Fighting superbugs. CQ Researcher, 17, 673-696. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/