Antibiotic Resistance
(Drug
Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance)
Antibiotics 101
Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr, MD, FACP, FACR
 Mary thinks she may have a bladder infection. She makes
the call to her doctor and is able get an appointment to come in and give a urine sample. Sure
enough, bladder infection. Her doctor prescribes an
antibiotic for the infection. Mary goes to the pharmacy, fills the prescription
and as she is
driving home, begins to think of questions that she should have asked her doctor
about the antibiotic.
This scenario has run through many patients' minds. What are the side effects of the
antibiotic? How soon should I begin to feel better? What if I don't feel better
after 4 or 5 days? When should I call my doctor? Should I be concerned about a
rash or other side effects that develop while taking the antibiotic?
Antibiotics 101
Antibiotics are a class of drugs that treat bacterial
infections by stopping growth of bacteria or killing the bacteria directly. It's
important to remember that antibiotics are ineffective in treating infections
causes by viruses, which include the majority of colds, sore throats (with the exception of
streptococcus-induced, or so-called
"strep throat"),
coughs, and
flu-like
illnesses.
Top Antibiotic Resistance Terms
bacteria,
bacterial,
chlamydia,
e coli,
causes,
staphylococcus aureus,
antibacterial soap,
penicillin,
antimicrobial,
drug resistance,
overuse of antibiotics,
antibiotic resistant diseases
Quick facts
- Increasing use of antimicrobials in humans, animals,
and agriculture has resulted in many microbes developing resistance to these
powerful drugs.
- Many infectious diseases are increasingly difficult
to treat because of antimicrobial-resistant organisms, including HIV infection, staphylococcal
infection, tuberculosis, influenza, gonorrhea, candida infection, and malaria.
- Between 5 and 10 percent of all hospital patients
develop an infection, leading to an increase of about $5 billion in annual
U.S. healthcare costs.
- About 90,000 of these patients die each year as a
result of their infection, up from 13,300 patient deaths in 1992.
- People infected with antimicrobial-resistant organisms are more likely
to have longer hospital stays and may require more complicated treatment.
Definitions
Antimicrobial
Antimicrobial is a general term given to substances including medicines that kill or slow the growth of microbes.
Microbe is a collective name given to bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus),
viruses (influenza, which causes the " flu"), fungi (e.g.,
Candida albicans, which causes some yeast infections), and parasites (e.g.,
Plasmodium falciparum,
which causes malaria).
Examples of antimicrobial agents:
Next: Antibiotic »
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- oseltamivir, Tamiflu - Learn about Tamiflu (oseltavivir), a drug prescribed for the treatment of flu infections including H1N1 (swine flu) infections. Tamiflu is recommended for pregnant women, adults, and children one year of age or older.
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Antibiotic Resistance (Drug Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance)
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