Antibiotic resistance: will antibiotics soon be ineffective in fighting bacterial infections?

Antibiotics are prescribed to treat bacterial infections. While they are generally effective, a study published in The Lancet shows that by 2050, resistance to these drugs could cause the death of 39 million people. Vincent Valinducq’s analysis in Bonjour! La Matinale TF1.

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A threat to modern medicine?

Antibiotics attack the bacteria that is causing an infection. In the best case scenario, the bacteria is neutralized. But sometimes, it can become more resistant, due to a mutation caused by another bacteria that transmits its resistance gene to it. As a result, antibiotics are less effective in killing the bacteria. In addition, the bacteria can be transmitted between humans, animals and the environment.

Hence the importance of following the very famous expression, “antibiotics are not automatic“. It is recalled that the vast majority of winter infections and illnesses are viral and not bacterial, which means that antibiotics are not necessary to treat them. On the contrary, the more antibiotics are used, the less effective they will be in neutralizing bacteria.

“Antimicrobial resistance is on the rise – accelerated by the inappropriate use of antibiotics during the Covid pandemic – threatening the backbone of modern medicine and already causing preventable deaths and illnesses in the past.“, warned Professor Iruka Okeke of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and co-author of the series of articles published in The Lancet.

On the proper use of antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance is a major issue. According to The Lancet, of the seven million deaths each year caused by various bacteria, 1.27 million are caused by resistant bacteria that have learned to circumvent drugs. However, the misuse of antibiotics provides fertile ground for the development of resistant bacteria.

These medications are not taken just anyhow. It is essential to follow the doctor’s prescription to the letter, both in terms of dosage and duration. Indeed, even if the symptoms or pain caused by an illness have disappeared after three days, if the prescription is for six days, it is imperative to complete the treatment. Furthermore, it is important not to play the apprentice doctor and take an antibiotic that was not prescribed to treat an infection because it is possible to make a mistake in diagnosis. We therefore avoid self-medication. Finally, we never share our antibiotic.

In addition, hygiene measures and vaccination help prevent bacteria from becoming more resistant to antibiotics. According to Yewande Alimi, co-author of the study published in The Lancet, “Public health actions to prevent infections should be a priority in the strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance“.