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OT Doctors- Why do we become immune to antibiotics?
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:04 pm
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:04 pm
I read an article that a lady in Pennsylvania has a strand of E. Coli that is resistant to all known antibiotics. The CDC and Department of Defense are involved and they're re-tracing her steps so it must be serious. In the article, it mentioned that the World Health Organization said that immunity to antibiotics is one of the most serious health crises we face today.
What do antibiotics do, what are they used to kill, why are they successful, and why do we develop an immunity to them?
What do antibiotics do, what are they used to kill, why are they successful, and why do we develop an immunity to them?
This post was edited on 5/26/16 at 7:05 pm
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:05 pm to boosiebadazz
quote:
Department of Defense is involved
They about to nuke her?
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:06 pm to Rhino5
I think that's because of the severity of the threat they perceive it to be.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:06 pm to boosiebadazz
B/c life will find a way.
Jurassic Park should have taught you this.
eta: the real answer. Bacteria have the ability to share defense mechanism genes with each other. Say you have a table full of bacteria and wipe out the whole table with a certain antibiotic. Soon a bacteria will mutate with defense mechanisms against it and take over the table no matter how much antibiotic you throw at it.
Jurassic Park should have taught you this.
eta: the real answer. Bacteria have the ability to share defense mechanism genes with each other. Say you have a table full of bacteria and wipe out the whole table with a certain antibiotic. Soon a bacteria will mutate with defense mechanisms against it and take over the table no matter how much antibiotic you throw at it.
This post was edited on 5/26/16 at 7:10 pm
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:07 pm to boosiebadazz
I know for one, people don't listen to instructions and stop taking antibiotics once they feel better. Well, that remaining bacteria learns, adapts, and learns how to defend itself against the same medication. Do it over and over for multiple bacteria and now you have no medications that will actually work.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:10 pm to boosiebadazz
It's evolution at work. Not all of the bacteria may be killed by the antibiotic, so the ones that survive live and pass on the ability to survive the treatment.
Antibiotics are overly prescribed in my opinion, but I'm no doctor.
Antibiotics are overly prescribed in my opinion, but I'm no doctor.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:18 pm to boosiebadazz
We don't become immune.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:20 pm to Pectus
The bacteria does. I used that word out of ignorance as to how they work.
The fact that they eventually become ineffective is what is alarming. I wanted to know why.
The fact that they eventually become ineffective is what is alarming. I wanted to know why.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:21 pm to boosiebadazz
We don't become immune. Bacteria create defense mechanisms that make them resistant.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:21 pm to boosiebadazz
ELY5 because apparently you are.
Antibiotics kill bacteria. This was discovered in 1928 (and you're just now finding out about it! how exiting!).
Their success depends on the type of antibiotic you use. But in general they break down the bacterium's cell walls.
We don't develop an immunity to antibiotics, the bacteria do. This is why the immunity is so dangerous - it means that you are now at risk of dying just from a simple cut to your hand.
The bacteria develop immunity because... wait for it... evolution. The bacteria that aren't totally killed by the antibiotics live on and pass their traits to their offspring which are now just a little bit stronger against the medicines. Only, bacteria go through generations very very quickly, so while it make take you forever to evolve, it only takes them a few days.
Now, see what a 10th grade education can do for you? Stay in school, one day you'll know this stuff too.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:22 pm to boosiebadazz
We do not develop immunity - the bacteria do. This is just evolution in full display: amongst the billions of bacteria some are more resistant and they live and pass on their resistant DNA to future generations. This is a war of escalation that we have no chance of winning.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:24 pm to PrivatePublic
quote:
This is a war of escalation that we have no chance of winning.
Which is pretty terrifying.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:25 pm to boosiebadazz
It's only going to get worse.
Practicing primary care and good medicine often don't coincide nowadays because people expect antibiotics. Midlevel providers are some of the worst offenders of this.
Practicing primary care and good medicine often don't coincide nowadays because people expect antibiotics. Midlevel providers are some of the worst offenders of this.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:26 pm to recruitnik
I wanted to be a doctor until I made a C in chemistry in ... wait for it... 10th grade. So I became a lawyer. But I fully plead my ignorance of this level of medicine.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:27 pm to Parallax
So is the proliferation of antibiotics something the government addresses at a macro level?
Are there rules and regulations about prescribing them? Seems like you'd want to control how much gets disbursed to the population.
Are there rules and regulations about prescribing them? Seems like you'd want to control how much gets disbursed to the population.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:29 pm to lsunurse
quote:
Which is pretty terrifying.
Not really. If we stop fighting the war so hard and accept a certain level of losses, we'll be fine in the long run. The problem is who in this day and age is willing to say this?
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:30 pm to boosiebadazz
There are zero rules or regulations for antibiotics.
ETA: And R&D for new antibiotics is severely lacking. We come up with way more new cancer meds and antivirals.
ETA: And R&D for new antibiotics is severely lacking. We come up with way more new cancer meds and antivirals.
This post was edited on 5/26/16 at 7:33 pm
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:31 pm to Parallax
quote:
Practicing primary care and good medicine often don't coincide nowadays because people expect antibiotics.
Wonder how much more this happens in pediatrics? Parents demanding antibiotics for Billy's sniffle....even though the doctor has explained over and over that antibiotics don't kill respiratory viruses.
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:34 pm to Parallax
quote:
There are zero rules or regulations for antibiotics.
Not to mention how easy it is for people to get antibiotics without a prescription in Mexico(law states you have to have a prescription...but isn't always enforced).
Posted on 5/26/16 at 7:36 pm to lsunurse
It's not limited to pediatrics. It's why I'd never do primary care. Practicing good, evidence based medicine will often just piss off patients.
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