How To Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most important problems in the world today. Infections are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatment. How can you prevent antimicrobial resistance?

Estimates indicate that this type of resistance is growing exponentially. This is largely due to the misuse of antibiotics, which people use excessively. We have reached the point where many treatments against bacteria are no longer effective.

This situation is dangerous, since we are becoming increasingly defenseless against various infectious diseases. Moreover, we need individual, collective and governmental action to prevent the problem from getting worse.

What is antimicrobial resistance?

Antimicrobial resistance is the mechanism by which bacteria reduce the action of the agents that attack them. It is a process of natural selection and genetic adaptation by which these microorganisms become immune to certain drugs.

In addition, antimicrobial resistance occurs when the concentration of an antibacterial product is four times lower than the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). In other words, the bacterium has a fourfold increase in its ability to neutralize its attacker.

Currently, the rate at which new resistant organisms are emerging is higher than the rate at which new drugs are being produced. We therefore have a deficit that continues to grow and puts us in a delicate situation in the face of infectious diseases.

Types and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance

Useful strategies to prevent antimicrobial resistance

It is also important that people take antibiotics only when they are prescribed by a doctor. In addition, they must follow the specialist’s instructions regarding the hours of administration and the doses.

It is not recommended to discontinue treatment, even if you feel better. If you do not take the prescribed amount of medication, there is a risk that resistant bacteria will grow quickly.

Other control measures

Farmers should use antibiotics in animals only under the strict supervision of a veterinarian. Improper use of these drugs in agriculture or animal husbandry is one of the main causes of antimicrobial resistance. Substances reach the environment and humans through the food chain. Medical personnel must take extreme control measures in this regard.

The researchers found that doctors prescribe 50% of antibiotics for viral diseases, despite the fact that they should not do so. In fact, you should only prescribe antibiotics if there is certainty that they are absolutely necessary.

Government authorities and independent institutions should monitor outbreaks of infection and determine whether the pathogens responsible are resistant to antibiotics. It is also essential to inform and educate citizens on the best way to prevent infectious diseases.

It is necessary for researchers and the pharmaceutical industry to join forces to intensify studies on this subject. The whole world should support research in this regard, because much of our well-being and future depends on the stagnation of antimicrobial resistance.