Monday, January 25, 2010

Antibiotic Resistance: A Growing Health Hazard Worldwide

Many people have this attitude of self-medication. Whenever they feel sick, say with a common cold, it is easy for them to take antibiotics. Some would even ask their doctors for an antibiotic prescription. Antibiotics are medications to fight bacterial infections. The problem is, most common cold cases are viral infections, not bacterial infections.

The consequence of antibiotic misuse and abuse is antibiotic resistance, now a growing health problem worldwide. There is no way you can be sure if your sore throat or cold is a bacterial infection unless you see your doctor and have a culture test.

Antibiotic resistance may also occur when you don't finish the full dosage of your antibiotic prescription. Some bacteria are left alive which become “resistant” to the same treatment in the future.

Patients and doctors must cooperate in order to curb this widespread problem. Doctors must first make a test to make sure if the ailment is a bacterial or viral infection. Always remember that antibiotics will never be effective in treating viral infections. It will only be a waste of time and money, and only helps propagate antiobiotic resistance.

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