Importance of finishing your antibiotics!

Antimicrobial resistance is when bacteria have developed a way of protecting themselves against antibiotics. Bacteria thrive on the mother nature motto “survival of the fittest.” These bacteria multiply very rapidly. By genetic mutation, bacteria may become resistant to an antimicrobial agent. As susceptible germs are killed by antimicrobial drugs, resistant microbes survive. The next time infection occurs the antimicrobial drug may not work if the germs are resistant. Bacteria are naturally susceptible to different types of antimicrobial drugs, however, particular bacteria develop resistance to the different types. Although all bacteria have the capability of potentially developing resistance. 

 

Not all antibiotics work in the same way. Some antibiotics kill bacteria and others just prevent bacterial growth. Different groups, or classes of antibiotics have different actions on bacteria. Some will interfere with the making of the bacterial cell wall. All bacteria have a cell wall that protects them from the outside environment and helps to contain the cell contents. When a bacteria multiplies it grows and divides into two. If the cell wall is damaged the bacterial cell will burst when it tries to multiply. Other antibiotics stop bacteria from making important chemicals they need to survive. They also interfere with the genetic material in a bacterial cell and cause it to stop the bacterial cell dividing into two and multiplying.

Because antibiotics act in different ways, but they also act on different bacteria. Some antibiotics will selectively target a few specific bacteria, these are known as narrow spectrum antibiotics. Others will target a wider range of bacteria, these are known as broad spectrum antibiotics. If a person has a bacterial infection is important to know which bacteria is causing it so the appropriate antibiotic can be prescribed. The best way to cause bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics is to under treat them. Bacteria multiply very rapidly, and as they multiply, random mistakes occur in their DNA which can make them resistant to antibiotics. The best way to keep this from happening is to take all the prescribed antibiotic doses on time. This will kill the bacteria rapidly and efficiently. When bacteria are under treated, some of them may have enough time to have these mistakes occur in their DNA. Then, when they multiply, they will no longer respond to the original antibiotic prescribed.

In order to prevent developing antimicrobial resistance, make sure to finish your prescriptions and follow your doctors orders!