This powerful weapon could control infections very effectively, making it a life saver in so many situations— surgeries, cancer treatments, organ transplants, saving pre-term babies—all of it became possible!
An infection is what happens when harmful germs like bacteria or viruses enter your body and make you sick.
Antibiotics are medicines that kill bacteria or stop them from growing. They don't work on viruses, which cause common colds or the flu.
A mutation is a small change in the genes of a living thing, like bacteria or even people. It can happen naturally and some mutations can help bacteria survive the antibiotic's effects.
AMR happens when germs like bacteria stop responding to medicines that are typically used to kill them. This occurs because in a population of bacteria treated with an antibiotic, some may mutate and survive; if left unchecked, these rapidly multiply and give rise to a population of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or superbugs.
In 2016, the Government of India made it compulsory for a red line to be present on the packaging of all prescription-only drugs, including antibiotics. This prevents people from buying antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription.
Everyone gets affected. Once a disease-causing bacteria becomes resistant, it can multiply and easily spread far and wide to affect anyone who encounters the resistant bacteria, or superbugs.
Antibiotics only work against bacteria. Hence, antibiotics should only be taken for bacterial infections and not viral infections such as the flu.
Stopping antibiotics earlier without finishing the course can leave behind bacteria that survived the first doses; these can be the resistant ones that multiply further.
Antibiotics differ based on the type of bacterial infection. They should only be taken when prescribed by a doctor for your particular illness.
