Quote:
|
Originally Posted by MrSelfDestruct
This shit never would have happened if people were prescribed antibiotics responsibly and weren't so germ phobic that everything needs to be antibacterial.
|
I agree with both sentiments.
However, the biggest reason for the superbug bacterias isn't the overuse of antibiotics, but rather the misuse on the part of those taking them. People would take a few days' worth until they felt better, and then would stop taking them, "saving" the remaining pills for later, or figuring they didn't need to keep taking them when they were feeling better.
The bacteria would then be left weakened, but not killed off, and subsequently would live to fight another day, slowly evolving and mutating with each progressive step how to battle the antibiotics they're exposed to.
The main reason doctors are pulling back on the number of antibiotics prescribed is primarily because they're trying to do some damage control, allowing people's natural defenses to take care of things, if possible. Plus, they know that no matter what they do, many people will not listen when they're told
you're likely going to feel better before you're done with the pills- but you must take all of it. By relaxing the amount of antibiotics going out, they're minimizing the number of bugs that get exposed to current and newer antibiotics, so that they don't mutate/evolve an adjustment to those as well.