Antibiotics (from the Greek anti, against, and biotikos, fit for life) are substances that destroy microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa or viruses when present in sufficiently high concentrations. This definition naturally does not include acids or other corrosive compounds.
Many antibiotics are produced from microorganisms. Additionally, modern chemistry allows the production of new antibiotics with different antimicrobial properties by the chemical alteration of existing antibiotics. Furthermore, some modern antibiotics have been developed through purely synthetic means.
The first known crude use of antibiotics was by the ancient Chinese over 2,500 years ago. Many other ancient cultures, including the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, used antibiosis: the application of moulds and plants to treat infections owing to their natural production of antibiotic substances.
Modern antibiotics are crucial in today’s armamentarium. However, research has clearly shown that antibiotic overuse is a major public health problem. For example, it has been estimated that at least 50 per cent of antibiotic prescriptions for children by doctors are unnecessary.
We should beware of antibiotic overuse for two reasons: personal and community oriented.
On a personal and practical level, we should bear in mind that all medications may produce side effects. On a broader level, antibiotic overuse leads to antibiotic resistance, a phenomenon that, unfortunately, is global. This means that doctors lose the ability to treat somewhat simple bacterial infections acquired in the community.
Moreover, bacterial antibiotic resistance decreases the doctors’ ability to deal with serious infections that require hospital treatment. Thus, both the health authorities and medical literature constantly advise doctors to reduce overuse of antibiotics.
Three recent items in this newspaper should heighten our collective concerns.
It was revealed that antibiotic creams are readily available over the counter, without a prescription, in many pharmacies. This is contrary not only to common sense but also to regulation because these drugs should only be dispensed against a prescription.
A second item shows that the so-called hospital superbug, MRSA, is carried by about 8.2 per cent of the community and this definitely through the overuse of oral and topical antibiotics. The National Antibiotic Committee is now drafting guidelines for health professionals on the correct use of topical antibiotics.
Being a carrier is not itself a risk to the individual but such a person, if hospitalised or visiting a hospital, could infect patients with weak immune systems. Such organisms could also be passed on to hospital staff who may then pass them on to patients. Such an individual is likelier to suffer from complications such as post-operative infections if s/he requires such interventions.
The third item announced that three broad spectrum antibiotics had their prices reduced. Cheaper medicine is, of course, welcome, provided, however, that such products are used only by those who really need them and are told so by their doctor and/or pharmacist.
There is evidently need for an education campaign to prevent sick individuals from pressuring doctors and pharmacists from respectively prescribing and dispensing unnecessary antibiotics to the detriment of the rest of the community. These infections may be fatal and this should be borne in mind by all. Beware of unnecessary antibiotics.