ARTEMETHER-LUMEFANTRINE; UNDERSTANDING THE CLOCK

How Antimicrobial Resistance Spreads and the Phenomenon of Selective Pressure 

Hello everyone,
I continue my post on the  Antimicrobial Resistance series. As promised, I will be talking about how antimicrobial resistance spreads and the phenomenon of Selective Pressure.

Just take a few minutes to look at the image above. It perfectly summarizes how antimicrobial resistance spreads between humans, animals and the environment.
Antimicrobial resistance is said to have spread when resistant microbes spread from person to person. Antimicrobial Resistance spreads same way infections are spread such as through poor hygiene, unclean facilities, sexual contacts, air borne e.t.c.
Hence there goes the saying, Resistance anywhere is Resistance everywhere. 

Secondly,  I must establish the concept of Selective Pressure. 
When antibiotics are consumed in the presence of a drug-resistant microbe, the antibiotic will destroy susceptible microbes and promote the accumulation of the drug-resistant microbes.
The question is HOW? 
Now this is it. In the body of an individual or animal, microbes compete for nutrients to survive and replicate. Therefore, when antibiotics are consumed in the presence of susceptible microbes and one or more resistant microbes, the antibiotic will destroy the susceptible microbes leaving the drug-resistant microbes (microbes that have gained resistance to this particular antibiotic) hence there will no longer be competition for nutrients, therefore the drug-resistant microbes will accumulate in the body. This phenomenon whereby antibiotic use promotes the development of drug-resistant microbes is known as Selective Pressure.

The following is therefore important :
1. As often as possible, antimicrobial drugs should be taken after adequate  Culture and Sensitivity tests  to prove that the disease-causing microbes are susceptible to the drugs.

2. In the case of empirical therapy, where antibiotics are prescribed before culture and sensitivity tests, the clinical decision should be guided with adequate clinical information. Hence, health care providers should regularly improve their knowledge of antimicrobial drug use and infections.

3. Lastly and most importantly, Infection Prevention and Control should be widely encouraged through proper hygiene, vaccination, lack of over crowding e.t.c. Because when infection is prevented there will be reduced need for antimicrobial drugs hence antibiotic-induced selective pressure will be prevented and the development and accumulation of resistant microbes as a result of antimicrobial drug use will be avoided.
So in essence, we should try to reduce the need for antibiotics use and other antimicrobial drug consumption.

I hope you have learnt something new today. If you have, kindly share the knowledge with others and most importantly take action. Let us promote the rational use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs. Also you can post comments and even visit the Chat Room of the health hub blog on www.mynewhealthhub.blogspot.com to meet others and  share your ideas and ask questions.
 In my next post on this series about Antimicrobial Resistance, I will talk about what we can do to contain Antimicrobial Resistance; the role of the government, community members and health care providers.
So do keep in touch.

Yours sincerely,
Timothy Okooboh (B. Pharm, PharmD).

#promoting the rational use of antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs#

#Joining the fight against antimicrobial resistance#