Articles in the NY Times "W.H.O. Warns of Sharp Increase in Drug-Resistant Infections" and "The Global Threat of Antibiotic Resistance" reports of the spread of dangerous antimicrobial-resistant infections, which have been increasing by nearly 15 percent each year. This includes infections such as UTI’s, gonorrhea, E. coli, and other pathogenic bacteria that kill millions annually. It’s estimated that more than 39 million people will die from antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in the next 25 years. While the increase in antimicrobial resistance is inevitable, it is being accelerated by improper, or excessive use of antimicrobials. Nearly 140 countries have joined the Center for Global Development’s antimicrobial resistance surveillance system and 100 of which contributed data.
This presents an incredibly difficult challenge, especially for doctors who want to treat their patients but recognize that improper use could lead to a much larger crisis. I believe it is the responsibility of the prescriber to emphasize the importance of taking an entire course of antimicrobials, even if the patient feels better before finishing. However, patients also share responsibility by ensuring they aren’t skipping their last doses because they feel better leaving the last, strongest, pathogenic bacteria to survive, mutate, and spread resistance. Perhaps there should be stronger guidelines are even laws to prescribing antibiotics, like making a patient sign a form stating they’ll take the antimicrobials for the full length of time unless otherwise stated by the doctor. Education on this subject could also slow the increase of anti-microbial resistant infections, like teaching genetic resistance in high school science classes. Either way improper use needs to stop, or common infections could become a death sentence.
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