Antibiotics are medicines used to kill bacteria. They can be bacteriostatic or bactericidal. The ‘antibiotic revolution’ began in the early 1940s, when Howard Flory and his colleagues in Oxford developed Alexander Fleming’s penicillin into a major therapeutic compound. Penicillin were the very first antibiotics developed, and then many structure elucidations were done to fight other mutating microorganisms.
In the twenty-first century, we have a huge range of antimicrobial drugs in our therapeutic armory. At the same time, we face increasing problems with antimicrobial resistance and emergence of bacteria that are resistant to all available antibacterial drugs. There are many reasons for the developing resistance. Antibiotics “misuse” is the main cause.
We are facing increasing problems with antimicrobial resistance and emergence of bacteria that are resistant to all available antibacterial drugs. Antibacterial drugs have a wide range of mechanisms of action, inhibiting a number of key functions within those organisms. The reasons can be efflux pumps, alternative enzymes, decreased uptake of antibiotics, inactivating enzymes and target alterations. These are some reasons of resistance.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to one-third to one-half of antibiotic use in humans is unnecessary or inappropriate. This promotes resistance.
Where antibiotics can be bought for human or animal use without a prescription, the emergence and spread of resistance is made worse. Similarly, in countries without standard treatment guidelines, antibiotics are often over-prescribed by health workers and veterinarians and over-used by the public.
Without urgent action, we are heading for a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections and minor injuries can once again kill.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL
To prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance, individuals can:
- Only use antibiotics when prescribed by a certified health professional.
- Never demand antibiotics if your health worker says you don’t need them.
- Always follow your health worker’s advice when using antibiotics.
- Never share or use leftover antibiotics.
- Prevent infections by regularly washing hands, preparing food hygienically, avoiding close contact with sick people, and keeping vaccinations up to date.
- Prepare food hygienically, following the WHO Five Keys to Safer Food (keep clean, separate raw and cooked, cook thoroughly, keep food at safe temperatures, use safe water and raw materials) and choose foods that have been produced without the use of antibiotics for growth promotion or disease prevention in healthy animals.
ANTIBIOTIC STEWARDSHIP
Overuse and over-prescription of broad-spectrum antimicrobial can profoundly harm the human microbiome and has probably contributed to the proliferation of multidrug-resistant organisms.
Many hospitals are adopting programs and practices to sell antibiotic stewardship to deal with this hassle as this is very critical related to drugs and even human biome. The objectives of these programs are to optimize affected person outcomes, prevent damage to patients’ microbiome, and reduce health care fees.
ROLE OF PHARMACIST
Pharmacists play a key function in promoting clever use of antimicrobial medications, whether or know not they practice in a group that has a formal antibiotic stewardship program.
They promote awareness related to antibiotics use and usually prefer cell wall inhibitors antibiotics (medicine) in early stages of bacterial infection.
They usually adjust the doses so that they can cater any adverse effects.
They participate and promote camps and seminars related to antibiotics usage.
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