It has been suggested that the all too frequent use of antibiotics to combat our bacterial and fungal infections may actually cause a 'super-bug' to evolve. If this happens, it is feared the superbug may wipe out a sizeable proportion of the human population. What is an antibiotic and how does it prevent bacterial or fungal growth? What is the medical science behind this theory of over-use of antibiotics leading to a 'superbug', and are there examples from recent or even long past history where human population has been dessimated by bacterial or fungal infection?
Part A
ReplyDeleteThe idea that one day a 'superbug' will come into existence one day is due to the fact that bacteria and viruses change thier protien coat as Mr Jamieson stated in one or more of the lessons and the theory is that one day one of these will be immune to every medicene we throw at it.
An example where a large population of the human race has been dessimated is the black death or the Bubonic Plague a virus that killed a third of the European population in the 1300's that was cause by the microbe Yersinia Pestis which was on fleas that were carried by rats. Yersinia Pestis is also thought to in testing for biological warfare and is a catagory A pathogen
Part A
ReplyDeleteAntibiotics are drugs made by one microbe that can kill another type of microbe. Antibiotics work in different ways. Penicillin is made into a part of the cell wall of some bacteria weakening the cell wall and as the bacteria divide they burst. some antibiotics stop bacterial ribosomes working so the bacteria can not make proteins and they die. Other antibiotics just stop bacteria growing and the bodies immune system kills them. Bacteria can change so that antibiotics cant destroy them. Changes in the DNA of the bacteria can change the protein so that the antibiotic can not kill it and the bacteria transfer their DNA so other bacteria are also protected. If one bacteria gets lots of different DNA changes it can be resistant to lots of antibiotics. With lots of antibiotics being used bugs which are immune can grow and spread and share their genetic material with other bugs. One bug like this today is "golden staph" which is resistant to almost every antibiotic and causes closure of hospital wards when it is found.
Most epidemics (lots of people are infected) are caused by viruses today like swine flu. Bacteria do not do this as often now. An example today would be Bacterial Meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitides, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. This has caused outbreaks in schools at the Gold Coast and all the contacts get antibiotics.
Mr Jamieson my references for that blog were
ReplyDeleteMicrobes bugs and wonder drugs. Balkwill and Rolph. Portalnd Press 1995 p14-20.
Epidemics, Bacterial from World of Microbiology and Immunology. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale: Accessed from //www.bookrags.com/research/epidemics-bacterial-wmi/
27/05/09
Part A
ReplyDeleteAre Antibiotics Killing Us?
Antibiotics are the first line of defence against many infections. But overusing or misusing antibiotics can cause more harm than good.
Antibiotics won't do a thing for viral illnesses such as colds, flu and most sore throats and if taken with these illnesses can be harmful.
Antibiotic provides relief with bacterial and fungal infections and help you get better.
It is important to must weigh the pros and cons of staying on long term antibiotics as this can cause bacteria to become resistant to the drug and it then becomes more difficult to treat an active infection.
Most doctors tell you to take the medicine for a week to ten days and in nearly all cases modern antibiotics are relatively safe.
However, high doses or antibiotics taken for too long can cause other health problems such as harming your kidneys or other organs in your body.
A few antibiotics can cause serious organ damage. A drug called Aminoglycosides, Can be directly toxic to a number of organs, including causing deafness or tinnitus. These antibiotics are closely monitored by doctors to make sure the right dose is given.
Antibiotics made from penicillin are fairly safe, but if used for a long time can result in skin rashes.
Sometimes I think doctors prescribe antibiotics too easily and people just think they can ask for medicine to cure them instead of letting nature take its course. This might mean that if people keep taking antibiotics when they don’t really need to that the immune system may make it harder for the antibiotic to work.
In conclusion I do not think antibiotics are killing us but are a medical break though and if used properly for the right reasons can help us get better and does in fact save lives.
www.mayoclinic.com/health/antibiotics
uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePart B
ReplyDeleteI am referencing to Adam’s comment from May 27, 2009 2:53 AM. I fully agree except for one thing that Adam has said in his blog. Adam has stated that antibiotics won’t do anything for a cold, sore throat or the flu and that it could be harmful if taken with these illnesses. This I don’t believe is true. Antibiotics will only work for things made from bacteria, certain parasites and fungus. These can include colds, bronchitis, a type of sore throat called strep throat, several ear infections and sinus infections depending how bad it is. Apart from this I agree with all that is said and antibiotics will not kill you they will be able to cause some harm if taken under some conditions. Just like Adam has said antibiotics can save lives.
(PART B)
ReplyDeleteI personally agree with all the above mentioned, and would like to make a couple of comments myself, referring to what the other contributors have said.
I would like to point out my view of the dangers of Antibiotics.
For example, taking them against the advised instructions of a doctor can be harmful. The actual way Antibiotics work, is that Antibiotics shut down unruly bacteria directly. However, as mentioned above, The disease or virus can change its coat of protein, making it temporarily immune to cures, eventually, it is predicted that viruses and other harmful bacteriae will have changed their "coats" so many times that they will become immune to anny vaccine or Antibiotic, making themselves a so called 'Super Bug'.
(q) "Some scientists say that the principle behind a new crop of drugs currently under development will make it far tougher for bugs to become resistant to them.
This is because they work in the same way as many of the methods which the body itself has always used to rid itself of bacterial infections.
But other researchers say that it is quite possible that bacteria will acquire resistance - and when they do, this will make life far more difficult, as our own defence mechanisms will be rendered far less potent."
BBCNews, 2003: New antibiotics 'could prove deadly', Viewed 28th May, 2009: >http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2994528.stm<
Some people can develop allergies if antibiotics are taken. For example, one of the most common allergies is of the antobiotic called Penicillin.
This means that although antibiotics can save lives, they can also be harmful or fatal.
http://allergies.about.com/od/medicationallergy/a/penicillin.htm
Part B - I disagree with Adam Shulttleworth's post, as he said that if used correctly, antibiotics can save lives. I have information to prove him wrong. Antibiotics actually kill off good bacteria, along with the bad bacteria. Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics for a short period of time, normally a week or so. Some yeast bacteria do not even die off with the use of antibiotics, e.g. Candida. It stays there and once the victim is off antibiotics, it spreads (remember that your immune system is weakened from the antibiotics). If you don’t believe me, then look at this website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.yeast-infection.ca/2009/05/28/candida-are-the-antibiotics-that-doctors-prescribe-killing-us/
Part A
ReplyDeleteAntibiotics are produced by fungi or bacteria in the soil. They are usually used to treat infectious microorganisms such as bacteria, but it can be deadly when overused on certain infections or diseases. They do this by acting as a selective poison which will kill the desired bacteria. The antibiotic used can rid of the bacteria in many ways. It can inhibit the bacteria’s ability to turn glucose into energy. Or it can prevent the bacteria from forming a cell wall. When antibiotics are used on superbugs, it will wipe out part of the superbugs, but will then allow the few superbugs to multiply and cause a strain in which the old antibiotics used can’t touch. A person named Bobbie Mackeon had gotten a paper cut. When she didn’t take care of it, it got infected. When she went to the doctor, they gave her an antibiotic, suspecting that it would take care of the infection. It didn’t, and neither did the other two that she took. She then had an intravenous antibiotic, which finally did help. Not long afterwards though, she started having deadly blood clots. The blood clots were so severe that she now depends on high doses of blood thinners to survive. These also created new problems, any injury can be life threatening to her, because it is difficult to stop her body from bleeding. Now instead of running as she used to, she works out carefully in her garage. In all, antibiotics should be used carefully with only certain bacteria. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/19/48hours/main522536.shtmlhttp://health.howstuffworks.com/health-illness/treatment/medicine/medications/question88.htm
Part B
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alex, Antibiotics are deadly in so many ways. One must also remember that if a person takes too many of something over time, it could be fatal. Like Antibiotics, if one takes too much of it, one day, it won't work any more or worse, make us unhealthy.
Part B
ReplyDeleteReferring to what Alex (May 30 2009 12:48am) had said, to prevent antibiotics from killing you, it is responisible to only take directed amounts from your chemist, doctor or the instructions on the back of the medication. Antibiotics is used for infections, infections that could kill you, so If we didn't have antibiotics many of us would be dead today!!!!