Related: Discovery of a unique bacterial communication system may help to tackle antibiotic resistance

Antibiotics are not a “Cure-All”: what they can and cannot do

Antibiotics target bacterial infections, such as strep throat, whooping cough, and urinary tract infections. However, they do not treat viral illnesses, including the common cold, flu, or Covid-19. Proper diagnosis by a healthcare professional is essential to ensure effective treatment.

There are basic guidelines for safe antibiotic use. To ensure antibiotics work effectively, remember:
– Take them exactly as prescribed without skipping doses.
– Do not save leftover medication for future use or take someone else’s prescription.
– Inform your doctor about other medications to avoid interactions or side effects.

If you experience unusual symptoms while taking antibiotics, consult your doctor or report side effects to the FDA MedWatch program or your local regulatory authority.

Related: New virus-antibiotic combination therapy fights antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Dodging the threat of antibiotic resistance

Self-medication is a common practice, but it often leads to the misuse and overuse of medications. Misusing antibiotics contributes to antimicrobial resistance, allowing bacteria to develop defenses against treatments. This can lead to longer, more complicated illnesses, fewer effective treatment options, and increased medical costs or fatalities.

Related: Old arthritis drug overcomes antibiotic resistance

Thus, it is imperative that antibiotics be used responsibly so that individuals can help slow the spread of resistant bacteria, ensuring these lifesaving drugs remain effective for future generations. Consult your healthcare professional for guidance and take steps to protect both personal and public health.

Source: FDA

The victim broke her right leg during a long stay in India and had repeatedly needed hospital treatment in the country. An infection got into the bone and then spread to her hip.

She was seriously ill when she arrived in a US hospital in August 2016. Her immune system was going into overdrive in an attempt to fight the infection causing inflammation throughout her body. Her condition escalated, and ultimately she died from septic shock.

Samples of the infection taken from the wound were sent to the US CDC for testing.They showed she was infected with Klebsiella pneumoniae – which normally lives in the gut without causing disease.

The analysis found the superbug was resistant to all 26 available antibiotics in the US including the “drug of last resort” – colistin.

According to the US CDC, infections that are resistant to all antibiotics are very uncommon. But the case remains a warning of the dangers of what the US CDC calls untreatable “nightmare bacteria”.

Some scientists have argued we are on the cusp of the “post-antibiotic era” with cases like this in Nevada becoming more frequent.

The tests showed the bacteria did have low levels of resistance to fosfomycin, a drug that is approved in the US only as an oral treatment for uncomplicated cystitis.

Prof. Laura Piddock, from Antibiotic Action and the University of Birmingham, said: “Despite such multi-drug resistant bacteria being rare, this report is a salutary tale of the dire outcome for some patients when potentially useful drugs are not available.

“In circumstances such as this, where doctors are faced with the inability to treat a life-threatening infection, they need the flexibility to use antibiotics licensed for use in other countries and shown to be active in the laboratory against the patient’s infecting bacterium.”