ANTIBIOTICS EXPERT: Dr. Gerardo González Department of Microbiology
Rocha,
What are they? Antibiotics are chemical compounds that inhibit the growth of any form of life. While natural in origin, humans have developed synthetic antibiotics based on natural substances. It is commonly believed that antibiotics only control bacteria, but there are different types of antibiotics used against a variety of microorganisms: antibacterial, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. Why are they a subject of debate? There was a recent case in the USA of a woman who died from an infection caused by a bacterium resistant to all available types of antibiotics (more than 25). Antibiotic resistance is a subject of growing importance, and it is crucial that we fully understand this phenomenon. Bacteria mutate and change, and antibiotic use results
in the selection of bacteria that have changed to resist antibiotic effects. The bacterial genome is very flexible and can change very quickly. These changes can result in resistant bacterial cells. Every time we use an antibiotic, there is the risk that we are participating in the selection of resistant bacteria. Those bacteria that are susceptible die as a result of the antibiotic, meaning that resistant bacterial reproduction and continued infection are favored. What can be done? Research on antibiotic resistance in bacteria should be prioritized, particularly since the projections of international organisms are catastrophic: in the year 2050, 10 million people per year could die as a consequence of infections caused by resistant bacteria. This figure would surpass the number of deaths caused by cancer. On a personal level, it is important to not take antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription. To do so is to play with a loaded gun. Furthermore, when prescribed antibiotics, it is very important to follow the instructions down to the letter. In other words, the entire treatment should be completed; do not stop halfway or consume more than prescribed, and take the antibiotics at the prescribed hours as this can affect effectiveness and prevent the selection of resistant bacteria. It is also important to mention that social pressure should be exerted for the rational use of antibacterials in the agricultural and farming sectors. Use should ideally be kept to a minimum, and the products applied should not be for human health, but rather specifically formulated for each industry. Email: ggonzal@udec.cl Website: http://csbiol.udec.cl/
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