The war between drugs and bugs began with Alexander Fleming, the first antibiotic, penicillin, which was discovered shortly after. Antibiotics kill microorganisms or inhibit their growth. Penicillin saved countless lives during World War II and led to the development of natural and many synthetic antibiotics. Infectious diseases that were previously considered fatal were overcome. It is considered the most important therapeutic discovery in medical history.
The use of antibiotics to treat various infections has increased rapidly and dramatically over the past few decades. We have been given the false belief that "antibiotics will cure all diseases and, even if they are not effective, will not do any harm." This is rarely true. In many cases, and especially in dental problems, they can be helpful but are not a substitute for treatment. But it is said that every new discovery comes with new challenges.
Microorganisms have adapted to develop resistance to antibiotics. As a result, bacteria that were once easily controlled with small doses now require higher doses to kill them. This extraordinary ability of some bacteria to defeat antibiotics is called “antibiotic resistance”. In the last decade, the emergence of new resistance mechanisms has become a global concern in India, Pakistan and the UK. Some bacteria have become “superbugs” due to their ability to produce an enzyme that makes them resistant to all commonly used antibiotics.
This superbug was believed to have originated in India and hence was named New Delhi Metallo-Lactamase (NDM-1). The widespread existence of such resistant bacteria has increased the threat of “bioterrorism”. The World Health Report 2007 highlighted antibiotic resistance as a major threat to public health security in the 21st century. To highlight the crisis, “Antimicrobial Resistance: No Action Today, No Cure Tomorrow” was chosen as the theme of World Health Day in 2011.
This medicine that cures illness is currently a topic of discussion among doctors worldwide. Infectious diseases are still the second leading cause of death worldwide. We will look at the reasons for this and recommendations for prevention in the next article.
