Concerns have surfaced over the last few months over an antibiotic resistant strain of gonorrhea.  While antibiotic resistant sexually transmitted infections or "Super- Gonorrhea" may seem horrifying, the really scary part of all this is that lots of antibiotic resistant strains are starting to crop up, and our overuse of antibiotics may be to blame.

The biggest culprit to the overexposure of bacteria to unnecessary antibiotics is the food industry.  For decades livestock have been fed antibiotics to promote growth in livestock set to be slaughtered for food consumption.  In fact, 80% of the use of antibiotics is for animals in this country, not for people.  Using antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention in animals that are being raised for food consumption can cause the breeding of "superbugs."  Superbugs are bacteria that have evolved to resist antibiotics due to being overexposed to them.  These antibiotic resistant bacteria can then enter the food chain via the animals meat and become consumed by people.

Bacteria are fast-evolving organisms and can easily copy or pass on genes to other bacteria.  Bacteria don't need to pass genes down through generations like people do.  They can easily borrow genes from other bacteria or pass genes on themselves.  It's like a giant game of "Go Fish" where bacteria get to borrow the genes they need to survive from other bacteria.  Sometimes they can even copy antibiotic resistant genes from completely different families of bacteria or different species of microbes altogether.   

Of course the food supply is not the only way we expose ourselves to antibiotics.  Oftentimes we overuse or misuse the antibiotics we get prescribed to treat an illness.  When we take antibiotics incorrectly or take them too often, we are unnecessarily increasing the exposure of the bacteria in our bodies to these antibiotics and increasing the likelihood they develop a resistance. 

Failing to finish an antibiotic regimen can have a similar effect on the bacteria in our bodies.  If a doctor has prescribed antibiotics to a patient for a bacterial infection, and the patient stops taking the antibiotics after they feel better but before the full treatment has been completed, the patient runs the risk of developing antibiotic resistant bacteria and a possible relapse which could require more antibiotics.

Antibiotics are effective at treating bacterial infection, but have no effect on viral infections.  Antibiotics are necessary for the treatment of things such as urinary tract infections, strep throat, and pneumonia which are all caused by bacterial infection.  However, patients will often go to the doctor for a cold or flu which cannot be treated with antibiotics.  Things like bronchitis, which is sometimes caused by bacterial infection, is most often caused by a virus.  Even sinus infections that are caused by bacteria are most likely not severe enough to require antibiotics to fight off the infection.

Doctors will not just prescribe an antibiotic for no reason, but recognizing if an illness is bacterial or viral can be tricky.  The test for strep throat is quick and easy, but identifying other bacterial infections are not always as simple, especially if the symptoms have not been present very long at the time the patient goes to see the doctor.  Even if a doctor believes an infection to be caused by a virus, for a patient who is adamant about receiving some course of treatment,  they may prescribe antibiotics "just in case" since they may be unable to rule out a bacterial infection for certain.  While it may seem frustrating to see the doctor for an illness and be sent home without any medication, sometimes lots of fluids, plenty of rest, and a hot bowl of chicken soup are just what the doctor ordered!