Using antibiotics wisely
Marnie Dekle

It is not uncommon to go to the doctor with an illness and walk away with a prescription for an antibiotic. However, there are times that we need an antibiotic and times that we don't. According to Judy Harrison, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Extension Food Safety Specialist, Antibiotics are drugs that are used to treat bacterial infections. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tell us that nearly all of the organisms that cause diseases in humans that are treatable with antibiotics have developed some resistance to the drugs. This may mean that the diseases are more difficult to treat, or that different drugs are required. Some of the diseases that are showing resistance to commonly used antibiotics are pneumonia, ear infection, gonorrhea, urinary tract infections, meningitis and tuberculosis.

Commonly used antibiotics are effective only in the treatment of bacterial illnesses. Diseases caused by viruses do not respond to treatment with these antibiotics. In most cases, viral diseases must simply be allowed to "run their course." There are also anti-fungal drugs and anti-parasitic drugs available. These types of illnesses, however, do not respond to antibiotics which are used to treat bacterial diseases. It is estimated that one-third of all prescriptions given outside hospitals for antibiotics are unnecessary. The widespread use of these miracle drugs means that over time, organisms have had more opportunities to come in contact with the drug and more chances to become resistant to it. There are certain factors that have contributed to antibiotic resistance: physicians may over prescribe antibiotics if they are uncertain about the symptoms and natural course of some respiratory illnesses, patients often demand that antibiotics be given, patients often stop taking the medicine before they have finished all of the antibiotic prescription, sub-therapeutic doses of some antibiotics used in animal production over the years to help keep farm animals healthy may also have provided bacteria with the opportunity to acquire resistance, and antibiotics are available in some countries without prescriptions.

Antibiotic resistance may mean that a person's next infection may not respond to the first choice of antibiotic treatment. Doctors may then have to choose an antibiotic that is more expensive or has more potential side effects. Also, resistant bacteria may spread to others so that antibiotics may eventually lose even more of their effectiveness. The people that may be more affected by this trend toward antibiotic resistance are patients in hospitals and in nursing homes.

There are three simple rules that will help to curb antibiotic resistance. When you are sick, don't demand that your doctor give you an antibiotic unless he or she thinks one is necessary. When your doctor does prescribe an antibiotic, be sure to take the medicine as directed and finish all the medicine that you are given. If you do have access to leftover antibiotics or to medicine that has been prescribed for someone else, do not take it. For more information on using antibiotics wisely, contact the Emanuel County Extension office at 237-1226 or the Candler County Extension office at 685-2408.--Marnie Dekle is an extension agent with Emanuel County Extension Office.

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