The Antibiotic Resistance Dilemma
Yahvi Gupta, Grade 11

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when medications stop working against certain microbes (tiny organisms that can cause infections, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites). The different types of antimicrobial resistance include antibiotic resistance, antifungal resistance, antiparasitic resistance, and antiviral resistance. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve mechanisms to survive exposure to the antibiotics designed to kill them. As a result, certain bacterial infections become difficult to treat.
Antibiotic resistance develops in bacteria in our body through changes in bacterial DNA, called mutations, that reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics. Resistance can also develop through the sharing of resistance genes between bacteria of different species, a process known as Horizontal Gene Transfer.
Although bacteria naturally become resistant to medications over time, external factors act as catalysts in this process. These factors include the overuse of antibiotics (e.g., taking antibiotics to treat non-bacterial infections); the misuse of antibiotics (e.g., missing an antibiotic dose or stopping the treatment halfway, which allows bacteria to multiply and become resistant); and spontaneous resistance (e.g., when the antibiotic fails to recognize the bacteria or incorrectly targets it).
Antibiotic resistance is a growing global crisis as it increases mortality and morbidity rates, imposes an economic burden on healthcare systems and patients, and threatens medical advancements. Once resistance develops to an antibiotic, different antibiotics, which may be less effective or have more side effects, are needed for treatment. Often, a combination of medicines is used to treat the infection.
To diminish antibiotic resistance and avoid developing a bacterial infection, practice good hygiene by washing your hands regularly, take antibiotics only when prescribed for a bacterial infection (as antibiotics do not work for viral infections), and consult your healthcare provider to check if vaccines are available for bacteria that cause resistance.
The dilemmas associated with antibiotic resistance are agricultural, economic, and global inequality issues. For instance, banning antibiotic use in livestock could significantly reduce antibiotic resistance, but it may also disrupt food production systems and impact affordability. On the economic front, developing new antibiotics is costly, making pharmaceutical companies reluctant to invest. Low- and middle-income countries struggle to tackle this issue effectively due to a lack of resources, creating global health disparities.