Understanding antibiotic resistance

Antibiotics truly revolutionized the field of medicine when penicillin, the first antibiotic, was discovered back in 1928. Nearly a century later, we still rely heavily on antibiotics to treat a variety of illnesses, and it’s estimated that they save millions of lives worldwide every year.

However, we’re seeing a growing threat to the successful use of antibiotics: antibiotic resistance, also called antimicrobial resistance. Here’s what you need to know and how you can help protect yourself — and others — from this threat.

What is antibiotic resistance?

To understand antibiotic resistance, it’s helpful to understand the difference between bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

• Bacteria are tiny, one-celled organisms that live on and in our bodies. Some are good, while others can cause illness. Strep throat and tetanus are examples of bacterial infections.
• Viruses are generally not considered organisms, and they are much smaller than bacteria. Examples of viral infections include the flu, COVID-19 and chicken pox.
• Fungal infections are caused by yeast or mold, which are both types of fungus. Common examples are athlete’s foot and ringworm.

A significant difference between the three types of infection is that ONLY bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. Importantly, taking a course of antibiotics does not guarantee that all the bad bacteria will be wiped out. A few survive, but when the numbers are low enough, the person’s immune system is strong enough to overcome them.

If a larger quantity of the bad bacteria survive, they continue reproducing and making the person sick. When this happens, a greater proportion of the bad bacteria are able to survive antibiotic medicines, meaning the infection has now evolved to become antibiotic-resistant.

Why are bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics?

There are a couple major factors influencing the rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

• Inconsistent use of prescribed antibiotics: Antibiotic resistance is more likely to happen if the person stops taking their prescribed antibiotic too early or if they take the medicine inconsistently (missing pills).
• Use of antibiotics for a viral (or fungal) infection: Every time a course of antibiotics is prescribed — for any reason — bacteria have an opportunity to evolve resistance. That opportunity is an unnecessary risk when the infection cannot be helped by antibiotics.

Is antibiotic resistance that big of a problem?

Unfortunately, antibiotic resistance is a real threat to public health worldwide. Already, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. annually, resulting in upwards of 35,000 deaths a year.

We were actually seeing a reduction in antibiotic-resistant infections until 2020, when the effects of the pandemic affected progress.

How can we fight antibiotic resistance?

“As physicians, we are charged with preventing this problem,” says Jeffrey Szuba, MD, family medicine physician at Beacon Medical Group Elkhart East. But while providers are taking the lead, there are a few things you can do to help.

First, trust your provider to diagnose your illness. Different types of infections can have similar symptoms, so your provider may want to run tests before prescribing any medications. If your illness is viral, managing your symptoms should be the top priority.

Secondly, don’t rush to request antibiotics when you’re feeling ill.

“Avoid asking for antibiotics if you’ve had symptoms for just a few days,” advises Dr. Szuba. “Treat your illness with the over-the-counter symptom-reducing agents first.” Medications that reduce your fever, alleviate aches and pains or reduce congestion are often helpful.

By following these simple recommendations, we can slow the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections — and save lives.

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