6 Factors Fueling Antimicrobial Resistance

Drug resistance is a serious medical concern and poses a severe health threat in the medical fraternity. In this regard, antimicrobial resistance is one of the worst nightmares that most patients suffering from various infections continue to grapple with across the world.

Generally, antimicrobial resistance results in adverse effects by bacterial infections leading to acute strain on the patient, which makes it challenging to treat. In this case, patients develop resistance against antimalarials, antifungals, and anthelmintic, among others.

This article, therefore, discusses some of the factors that fuel antimicrobial resistance.

1. Over-prescription of antibiotics

This is one aspect that fuels antimicrobial resistance. The over-prescription of antibiotics has been proved to be one of the major contributors to drug resistance. It is, therefore, necessary to adhere to the correct dosage based on an expert prescription.

In some cases, patients buy drugs over the counter without proper prescription. This has proved to be one of the leading causes of drug fatalities.

2. Patients are not finishing the entire antibiotic course

Have you come across patients who stop using drugs immediately they start feeling better after suffering from a particular disease? The trend has proved to be a significant cause of drug resistance among most patients.

It is recommended that patients ensure they finish the dose as per a physician’s prescription. This reduces the chances of developing drug resistance leading to other underlying medical conditions that may be difficult to treat.

3. Overuse of antibiotics in livestock and fish farming

Farmers use antibiotics to treat various infections in animals. These farmers must ensure they use antibiotics in adequate quantities. This is meant to avoid antimicrobial drug resistance in human beings upon consumption of products from fish and livestock.

4. Poor infection control in healthcare settings

The control of various bacterial infections should follow proper guidelines according to set medical standards. Cases of fake medical practitioners with questionable medical credentials pose a severe risk to patients. Therefore, medical facilities must hire qualified staff who should only offer medical advice within their area of expertise.

Some medical practitioners try to treat infections they have no knowledge about, which poses serious health risks to patients. Basically, healthcare facilities should put in place mechanisms to ensure correct diagnosis and treatment of various bacterial infections without offering wrong prescriptions.

Over time, improper drug prescriptions have resulted in fatalities and even more complicated health conditions among multiple patients. Proper diagnosis and treatment can save patients from the dangers associated with drug resistance-related complications.

5. Poor hygiene and sanitation

Some bacteria can easily be transmitted through dirty surroundings, feces, and contaminated surfaces. A number of times, people buy and eat raw fruits without washing them, which exposes them to various bacterial infections. Proper hygiene, washing hands, and other cleanliness aspects go a long way in putting bacterial infections at bay.

Most individuals continue to grapple with various bacterial infections due to disregard for proper sanitation. It is necessary to ensure everyone in society adheres to a high standard of hygiene to reduce cases of bacterial infections that continue to pose serious health threat to human beings across the world.

6. Lack of new antibiotic discoveries

New antibiotic discoveries can play a significant role in treating various antibacterial infections. Some bacterial strains continue to change and resist various drugs. A new line of antibiotics can serve well in trying to bridge the gap, but not many new antibiotics are hitting the market.

Antimicrobial resistance continues to wreak havoc in the healthcare systems across the world. It is upon every individual, medical practitioners and all stakeholders in the society to adhere to the set health standards to save the society from the ghost of drug resistance. Such collective efforts will go a long way towards supplementing the work that is being done by firms like DarioHealth Corp. (NASDAQ: DRIO) in coming up with new treatment modalities.

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