by Julia Vann
Imagine a society where a minor cut could threaten your life. It may seem silly, but that is exactly the danger we currently face with the rise of antibiotic resistant infections.
According to a year long research study conducted by the Annals of Emergency Medicine, bacteria resistant to the most common antibiotics caused nearly 6% of urinary tract infections. Even more troubling, patients observed in the study had no predisposition for this kind of infection.
Over the last few years, bacteria resistant to antibiotics has become more and more common. This poses a threat to everyone.
According to Science Daily, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that currently 23,000 Americans die each year from antibiotic-resistant infections.”
23,000 may seem like a small number compared to the 326 million people who live in the United States. 23,000 only consists of 0.007% of the population, but it’s important to keep in mind that this number can increase if nothing changes.
With diseases like MRSA, a bacteria resistant superbug, it is easy to see how these infections have already become a real threat.
So, the question is, how do we fix this? Thankfully, there are answers.
According to WebMD, here’s what we can do to prevent antibiotic resistant infections.
Don’t take antibiotics unless you’re sure you need them.
When we get sick, the first thing we want to do is ask our doctor for antibiotics, but that’s not always the right answer. Antibiotics won’t do much against a viral infection, so taking them only builds your body’s immunity to the antibiotic in question. That’s not something you want when you’re faced with a situation where you really need a functioning antibiotic. It’s not ideal, but just try to wait out the sickness. It’ll be better for you in the long run.
Take all your pills.
There are plenty of excuses for not doing this. ‘I’m feeling better, so I don’t need to take the rest.’ ‘I’ll save the rest for next time I’m sick.’ ‘I’ll give the rest to my friend, who’s also feeling sick!’ These are good-natured thoughts, but they’re not doing you any favors.
You need to take all of your antibiotics. Even if you’re feeling better, that doesn’t mean the infection is entirely gone. If you stop taking your medication, there’s a chance the infection will return, this time resistant to the antibiotic. It’s much better to just take all your pills. Better to be safe than sorry!
Keep up with Vaccinations!
The best way to prevent an illness is to never catch one in the first place. Vaccinations are vital to prevent disease and keep them from spreading. Vaccinate yourself and you might not even need to worry about getting sick! Don’t worry if you can’t vaccinate yourself, as long as the people around you vaccinate, herd immunity will keep you safe.
Be careful in the hospital.
If you have been hospitalized recently, be extra careful. Antibiotic resistant bacteria is commonly found in hospitals. No worries if you’re in the hospital, just make sure to wash your hands frequently and make sure the people around you do so as well.
It is true that antibiotic resistant bacteria have become more common, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s important to ensure we can still continue using antibiotics long into the future. So let’s all do our best to stop antibiotic resistant bacteria right in its tracks.
If you’d like to learn more about preventative measures in Healthcare, please visit the American Medical Compliance website today!
