We have a real problem. Our antibiotics are becoming less effective against microbes. The reason is simple- the bacteria (to paraphrase from the King and I) have become accustomed to your face- they have begun mutating to make themselves invulnerable to the actions of the antibiotics. The source of this problem is also simple- it’s us.
We are prescribed antibiotics with a ten day regimen. We begin feeling better after four days, so we stop taking the medicine. The small numbers of microbes left in our body from the disease, which were weakened or perhaps never even reached by the dosage after four days, learn how to cope with the drug. The next time they attack a human, they will have some tricks up their sleeves to combat the antibiotic.
As if they were not enough, we throw the antibiotics out. Sometimes into our toilets, where the microbes (in the sewage pipes, the treatment plant, or the receiving waters) get to see a much lower dose (concentration) that would be in our bodies and mutate to survive the onslaught. That makes them tougher for us to eradicate from our bodies.
And, we feed antibiotics to our livestock. Almost 30 million pounds last year alone. We feed them antibiotics to help them grow and to keep them free of diseases. But, that is NOT for what they were developed. The microbes in the animals learn how to cope with these drugs, since they are fed at low levels and continuously (day after day). These mutations will make it tougher for us to treat infections in our bodies with the same drugs.
And, these drugs are excreted by the animals on the fields or in their pens, to be washed out and end up in our rivers. Where the mutations continue. And, the microbes thrive in our lakes, rivers, and streams- and when they invade our bodies, they will no longer be susceptible to these antibiotics.
It’s why finally the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will finally ban (April 2012) cephalosporin use for cattle, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. (This ban was first proposed in July 2008) These drugs are known by brand names you will find familiar- Keflex, Cedax, and Ceftin (used for respiratory tract and urinary infections). You see, if you undercook these foods, you will not be killing the microbes that exist within them- and these microbes are already resistant to the drugs fed to the animals. And, you will find it nearly impossible to kill them in your body with antibiotics.
It’s just a start though, since cephalosporins only account for 54,000 pounds of the antibiotic feeds. But, we have no better drugs to use in humans for these infections. So, we have to start somewhere. And, irreplaceable drugs are a great place to begin banning the practice.
We already have found that most penicillins no longer are effective in our bodies. That’s because this drug has been misused for nigh 50 years now. We need to stop listening to the lobbyists from the National Chicken Council, the National Cattleman Beef Association, and Pfizer (which makes many of these drugs). The data has been clear and unequivocal for more than 30 years.
Thanks for sharing this Roy! I’ll be re-posting this. It’s a scary fact, but very true and we need to spread the word!
Jenny recently posted..It’s MONDAY–ARRRRGH! Don’t Fret: Six Tips to Get You Moving and Keep You Going!
Yes, Jenny, this is a real issue. From our misuse- to the abuse for animals- the end result is that we drink low levels of antibiotics in our water (in some places) or ingest low levels found in animals or have the “run-off” pollution afford the microbes a chance to mutate…
Roy
Indeed, the problem with the resistance of bacteria is worldwide. And if the antibiotics prescription for sore throat, for example, don’t stop, in 20 years will have no antibiotics susceptible microorganisms!
Anna recently posted..cost of veneers
Absolutely, spot-on, Anna!
I was worried about antibiotics some 35 years ago- when these pills were being dumped in the sewers. It did not take a genius to comprehend what the end result would be. Or that many antibiotics dumped in the sewer then find their way into our drinking water (since the waters are connected- often contiguous), letting the microbes in our body become acclimated to low doses- and mutate, rather than die.
Roy
It always amazes me how so many people either do not follow the directions properly, as in take these for 10 days etc, or how many people are given antibiotics for conditions that will not be improved by antibiotics. I can’t work out why doctors prescribe them in those situations and why people would want to pay money for something that is not actually working. Is it the pressure put on my society that demands that if we are not well we should be able to get a pill from the doctor that is like a magic wand that will instantly make us better. A friend of mine used to work in a doctors clinic and said that friday morning the phone would ring hot with people trying to get appointments, when talking to the doctor after the appointments that day (yes it used to be a small country town where you could get appointments on the same day and the doctor used to work late on friday) that so many of them had a cold and were wanting antibiotics just in case it became a chest infection.
Katrina recently posted..Total Fire Ban Day
Kat:
You are absolutely correct. And, why my physicians reserve the use of antibiotics for those cases that can’t be treated by other means.
And, most importantly, a cold is a virus- antibiotics work against bacteria. So, unless you have a cold AND something else, antibiotics will not provide any true benefit…
Roy
Scary for sure Roy. I guess that’s why I live in NZ. More natural but it is changing. I also resist going and taking antibiotics. I have too many friends who are resistent and they keep getting sick. I also remember as a child taking so many antibiotics that I kept being given stronger doses. Now I have not taken an antibiotic in over 10 years and my health is so much better
Roberta recently posted..Stuck? Try Dancing
Actually, Roberta, the microbes travel the world. Stupidity here can create problems there. And, it IS the practice in New Zealand (otherwise there would not be standards of what is permitted).
Roy
My son Robert got MRSA (or however it’s spelled) because of this problem. I have gotten so paranoid myself that I don’t want to go anywhere that might be a breeding ground for resistant microbe strains–places like movie theaters, gyms, even the good old grocery store. Yes, I, too, worried about it back when tetracyline stopped working for people and then there were more and more penicillin-like medicines taking over from the previous ones.
Ann recently posted..Three Landing Pages Properties and Five Ways They Work
That is exactly why it’s called MRSA, Ann. methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, it is…
Thanks for that addition.
Roy
In addition, we now “sanitize” everything! Antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers only kill off the weakest leaving the strongest to survive and thrive without competition.
I’m not suggesting we go back to the days when sewage was thrown out on the street but using bleach or antibacterials for everything all the time is doing our immune systems more harm than good. And that’s another problem. Simply allowing our bodies to naturally deal with many of the simple germs would strengthen our immune systems rather than weaken them.
Nicole Bandes recently posted..Children (and Spouses) – 9 Tips to Avoid the Interruptions
Oh, Nicole, that would assume that (1) the microbes are not more virulent than they were, (2) we would find the loss of 55 of the population acceptable (since they would succumb to disease), and (3) that the next generation of microbes will be treatable by our existing antibiotics.
There is some merit in only applying the antibiotic we need- instead of prescribing a drug immediately.
Thanks for the thoughts,
Roy
Oh, I’m not saying there isn’t a place for antibiotics but we tend to jump to use them well before they are necessary. It would be like going in to surgery for a paper cut.
There’s a reason that many of the diseases that were prevalent prior to the 1950’s are no longer common but antibiotics are only a part of it.
Nicole Bandes recently posted..Children (and Spouses) – 9 Tips to Avoid the Interruptions
I love that line, Nicole- surgery for a paper cut. That says it all!
Very interesting article, I haven’t heard about these facts yet, but they are really scaring. Usually I don’t take drugs when I feel sick, I’ve always preferred the natural and herbal treatments, but sometimes it’s the only way to heal to take some medicines. I’m an optimist and I believe that in the future these problems should be solved with the help of the medical science. I hope so.
Catwoman recently posted..fogszabályozás
Thanks for dropping in!
Not taking drugs is a personal preference, as long as the disease is under control. Whether you find natural or herbal treatments or antibiotics to work, the key is to get the help you need.
Nice meeting you…
Roy
Great informative post, all so true. When I was young I had a problem with sinus infections, for 5 years I had a running prescription for antibiotics. They soon quit working, I had no clue as to why and apparently the Dr. didn’t either. He just kept upping the dose….Thank you.
Bacteria are sometimes smarter than us (and our doctors), Jan. It’s the survival that drives them.
Thanks for joining in the discussion.
Roy, this is something I’ve been aware of for a while, and frankly, I find it very scary.
If they used 30 Million lbs last year on livestock, I’m sure it’s only going to go up.
that said, you did mention they were banning the use of cephalosporin … but what about others? Are they going to replace it with something else?
As you say, we are in fact taking antibiotics whether we like it or not. We really don’t have any say in the matter at this rate.
No wonder we have all these stubborn strains of illness we can’t seem to conquer.
Thanks Roy… for the frustrating read! (Nothing to do you with your writing skills, it’s just it ticks me off the way they wreck our food source with drugs, pesticides, herbicides, hormones… and the list goes on).
Best
Jayne
Jayne Kopp recently posted..Law of Attraction in My Life – Pretty Cool to Positively Putrid!
Jayne:
This has been an issue since the government allowed the use of antibiotics in feed. And, no, they did not remove the rights to use all antibiotics, but the others are in review. the goal is to remove all those drugs from feed that serve critical roles in public health.
That still leaves training us- humans- in the proper use of our prescribed antibiotics. If we properly use them, there won’t be a disposal problem, either.
Thanks for your comments!
Roy
Totally on target with this article Roy! As a nurse, I have seen firsthand the effect of this immunity of the microbes…what used to be killed by short term IV antibiotic therapy in hospitals now takes multiple rounds of multiple antibiotics and they are less and less effective. And I also see secondary infections (yeast, etc) that are a direct result of the overuse of these drugs. I just shake my head when I see what we are doing to our bodies, and our planet. It won’t be nuclear holocaust that brings our species down, but the lowly microbes we have danced so poorly with.
cath recently posted..writerz blok haiku
Thanks for visiting, Cath!
And, thanks so much for amplifying the facts so that the intent is clear! You said it well.
Roy