When healer turns into killer

A microbiologist is checking the antibiotic sensitivity and resistance of a blood sample by culture.

After the revolutionary discovery of world's first antibiotic Penicillin, Alexander Fleming along with the miracle cures warned about its danger of resistance and misuse in future.
"There is the danger", Fleming said on December 11, 1945, at the end of his Nobel lecture, "that the ignorant man may easily underdose himself and by exposing his microbes to non-lethal quantities of the drug make them resistant."
We did not pay heed to his warning to save the wonder drug rather we were just busy using the drug lavishly when we need it or even when we don't. Now the world is on the brink of loosing these miracle cures.
Antimicrobials are the drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria, virus, protozoa and fungus. The emergence of drug resistant germs has been increased at an alarming level and has become widespread.
Bangladesh, already burdened by infectious diseases like TB, is loosing the major strength in the fight to control or eradicate infections. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), at least 440,000 new cases of multi-drug resistant-tuberculosis (MDR) were detected last year and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR) has been reported in 69 countries to date.
Latest antimalarial drugs have been reported to be ineffective as the malaria parasite is acquiring resistance causing havoc. A high percentage of hospital-acquired infections are caused by highly resistant bacteria such as Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which are spread from one geographical location to another. Resistance is also emerging to the antiretroviral medicines used to treat people living with HIV, bird flu, H1N1 influenza.
Inappropriate use of antimicrobials drives the development of drug resistance. Both overuse, underuse and misuse of medicines contribute to the problem. "There is an antibiotic to treat every infection" is a common belief for many of us that leads to self medication with antibiotics. People take antibiotic even in viral infections where antibiotic has no role. Sale/misuse of antibiotics should be restricted with the help of law and collaboration from prescribers, pharmacists and dispensers, pharmaceutical industry, public and patients, policy makers.
Moreover, lack of quality medicine, counterfeit drugs expose patients to sub-optimal concentrations of antimicrobials and thus create the drug resistance.
Animal husbandry is another source of drug resistance. Sub-therapeutic doses of antibiotics are used in animal-rearing for promoting growth or preventing diseases results in development of resistance which can spread to humans.
Antimicrobials are the precious gifts that have been thrown into dust after inapt use. Now, these have comeback as boomerang. The rate of development of resistance outpaces the development of a new antibiotic. If we fail to take strong action now, the world will be in grave danger when a minor infection will cost both physically and economically.
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