Antibiotic resistance turns into global health crisis

Using antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription to recover from a new coronavirus infection can cause serious health problems, the Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists has warned.

“Antibiotic resistance” due to unnecessary and excessive antibiotic use is becoming a global health crisis.

According to the President of the College of Microbiologists of Sri Lanka, Dr Geethika Patabendige, consultant clinical microbiologist, a large number of people use antibiotics to control viral infection, making it impossible to control diseases that were previously treated with antibiotics. .

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that nearly 10 million people are expected to fall victim to antibiotic-resistant bacteria by 2050 due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, added Dr Patabendige.

She also urged people to refrain from using antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription to control COVID-19 infection.

Antimicrobials, including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics, are drugs used to prevent and treat infections in humans, animals, and plants.

Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites are constantly changing and no longer respond to the drugs used to treat the infections they cause.

This antimicrobial resistance makes infections more difficult to treat, which increases the risk of disease spread, serious illness and death. It emerges naturally, usually through genetic modification.

However, the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in humans, livestock and agriculture has accelerated the process, as have the lack of clean water and sanitation, and inadequate infection prevention and control.

-with contributions from agencies