Antibiotics are a powerful weapon in the fight against pathogens, and therefore many parents, as soon as the child’s temperature rises, immediately turn to treatment with antibiotics. However, such self-medication is unacceptable, especially in the case of children. Moreover, microorganisms quickly adapt to the antibiotic, and some can contribute to their destruction. The more often an antibiotic is used, the more successfully and faster the microorganisms adapt to it. Therefore, it is necessary to look for drugs that break the very mechanism of resistance since there are already bacteria that cannot be stopped by almost any antibiotic.
The studied article raises the topic of the impact of antibiotic consumption on the transfer of antibiotic-resistant bacteria by schoolchildren. This research under study aimed to examine the systemic consumption of antibiotics by schoolchildren and assess their consumption, the rate of transfer, and resistance of respiratory pathogens living in the mucosa of the upper respiratory tract (Farkaš et al., 2020). The study analyzed the incidence and the nature of resistance of the most common respiratory pathogens.
The research methods included population research, collection of samples, isolation and identification of bacteria, antimicrobial sensitivity testing, and static analysis. Farkaš et al. (2020, p. 267) note that “7% of the healthy children had consumed antibiotics in the previous six months, and this percentage was higher for children presenting with upper respiratory tract infection”. In conclusion, the article concludes that schoolchildren have significant resistance to antibiotics and that this age group should become an object for intensive training in the correct administration of such drugs both at the level of patients and at the level of medical professionals.
The resistance of bacteria to antibiotics is a severe threat to human health. Due to the spread of resistance, it becomes more and more challenging to find an effective treatment every year. Even if people have never abused antibiotics, they may get resistant microflora from someone in their immediate environment or genetically (Yelin & Kishony, 2018). Acquired antibiotic resistance occurs when, despite the use of an antibiotic, the bacteria continue to multiply, which requires the use of a new antibiotic that is stronger than the one previously taken.
The fight against resistance can go in two ways: first, creating new drugs that can effectively suppress resistant microorganisms and inventing ways to slow the spread of resistance. In my practice, I will consider the fact that children have a relatively high resistance to antibiotics. Moreover, instead of prescribing antibiotics to treat viral infections, such as the flu, runny nose, or irritation of the pharyngeal mucosa, other, more efficient, methods of treatment may be prescribed. I will also stick to the information from the article that the rational use of antibiotics can reduce the likelihood of resistance. In addition, it is worth paying attention not only to children but also to their parents. After all, as already mentioned, resistance to antibiotics can be not only acquired but also congenital.
Today, antibiotics are widely used in the fight against various types of bacteria. However, the concept of antibiotic resistance is also widespread in modern society, especially among children. These drugs are abused not only in situations where there are no indications, for example, taking them for viral infections, but also choosing the wrong drugs. To solve this problem, it is necessary to properly prescribe antibiotics and conduct research to create new, more effective drugs.
References
Farkaš, M., Čulina, T., Sišul, J., Pelčić, G., Mavrinac, M., Mićović, V., & Tambić Andrašević, A. (2020). Impact of antibiotic consumption on the carriage of antibiotic-resistant bacteria by school children. European Journal of Public Health, 30(2), 265-269.
Yelin, I., & Kishony, R. (2018). Antibiotic resistance. Cell, 172(5), 1136-1136.