Antibiotic Resistance

Kenny Keese, Sofia McAndrews and Jordan Myrick

Overview

Problems:

● Antibiotic resistance occurs when an antibiotic has lost the ability to control or kill a bacteria.

● This can be because the bacteria has adapted to resist the antibiotic and thus continues to spread or take longer to conquer.

● Many antibiotics have been overused ● Each year in the United States, at least 2 million

people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of these infections.

Past Solutions

● There weren't really any past solutions since it is such a new issue

● Some current preventative actions include○ Don’t take an antibiotic for a viral infection like the

flu or a cold○ Don’t save antibiotics for the next time you get sick○ Don’t skip a dose or stop taking the antibiotic if you

feel better○ Don’t take antibiotics prescribed for other people○ Don’t ask for antibiotics when your doctor doesn't

think they are necessary○ Prevent infections by having good hygiene and get

VACCINATED

Statistics

● 30% of antibiotics are given unnecessarily to patients● Antibiotics are helpful for patients in that they are used to combat illnesses,

however, the CDC’s current goal is to reduce unnecessary outpatient antibiotic use by 50% (by the year 2020)

● There was a decline of new antibiotics in the years ‘83-‘09 ● There was a rise in antibiotic resistance in the years ‘99-‘06● Antibiotic resistant germs cause more than 2 million illnesses and at least

23,000 deaths each year in the U.S.

Controversies

● Many are using the drugs to treat common colds and flus and that is not what it was made for

● According to the New York Times, grocery store pharmacists [South Hadley, Massachusetts] are starting to give out antibiotics for free

● Animal antibiotics are impacting human antibiotic resistance → animal bacterias can contaminate the food resulting in antibiotics that have no effect on the bacteria.

Solutions

● In 2016, congress gave the CDC $160 million to help fight antibiotic resistance

● From this money, the CDC has created the Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative which is improving national infrastructure to detect, respond and contain resistant infections

● The CDC has allocated the majority of the money to the 50 state health departments, the 6 largest local health departments and to Puerto Rico

● For this year there is an additional $40 million proposed to ensure the nation's ability to respond quickly

Opinion

● The distribution of antibiotics should be limited as unnecessary prescriptions are being given each day

● Medicines need to be developed to counteract infections that are untreatable through antibiotics

● Antibiotics that were previously given should not be re used even if the patient is undergoing the same illness nor should family members be taking their other family members prescribed medicines

● Although there is a lot of controversy...get vaccinated to prevent illnesses

Questions1. Each year in the United States, at least ___ million people become infected

with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least ____________ thousand people die each year as a direct result of these infections.

2. What percent of unnecessary antibiotics are given to patients? a. 5%b. 30%c. 50%d. 95%

3. What is one major controversy of the antibiotic resistance?4. What is the name of the program that the CDC created with the government

money? 5. What are 3 ways you can prevent antibiotic resistance?

Thank You for Listening!

Works Cited:

"What Is Antibiotic Resistance and Why Is It a Problem?" Index of /. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 05 Jan. 2017. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

"Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Jan. 2017. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Smith*†, David L., Anthony D. Harris*, Judith A. Johnson‡, and And Ellen K. Silbergeld*. "David L. Smith." Proceedings of the National

Academy of Sciences. National Acad Sciences, n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.

"Mission Critical: Preventing Antibiotic Resistance." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2017.