Microbes slowed by one antibiotic develop resistance to others

Infectious bacteria that are not completely destroyedAs it turned out, they can be more dangerous than previously thought. According to the results of a study published in the journal Science, even if one antibiotic leads to inactivity of bacteria, then microbes develop resistance to another drug almost three times faster. The value of the data obtained today cannot be underestimated - according to the World Health Organization, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant superbacteria is one of the main threats facing humanity.

Superbacteria can make treatable diseases deadly again

Why is it necessary to drink antibiotics only as directed by a doctor?

If you are still self-medicating andrush to drink antibiotics with the slightest sore throat - immediately stop. The fact is that the uncontrolled use of antibiotics led to the appearance of the so-called superbacteria - microbes that acquired tolerance to a particular drug. The data from the latest study once again emphasize that scientists need to pay close attention to what happens to bacteria. It turned out that in the presence of antibiotics, the bacteria cease to multiply, turning into a kind of dormant state that helps microbes withstand the attack of drugs longer than usual. Tolerant microbes cannot counteract antibiotics, therefore they simply “give up”. However, they do not completely die. The exception is cases in which the effect of the antibiotic in large doses continues, and also if the resistance of bacteria to them does not increase.

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What does this mean for patients?

Such tolerant bacteria can becomea source of prolonged or recurring infections and mainly affects people with a weakened immune system, as well as people with medical implants. To defeat the spread of infection, doctors can give patients medication shakes. This is especially often done with tuberculosis, which in recent years has become difficult to defeat. According to Science News, according to earlier studies, tolerant bacteria are more likely to develop antibiotic resistance. Today, such cases in medical practice are increasingly common. So, recently, doctors used the powerful antibiotic vancomycin to treat two patients who were admitted to the Shaare-Zedek hospital in Jerusalem from May 2017 to May 2018. In both patients, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was detected in the blood. After several days of using the antibiotic, the bacteria acquired tolerance to the drug.

Staphylococcus aureus resistant to antibiotics looks like this under a microscope

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Similar results were obtained inlaboratory experiments with E. coli bacteria treated with several different drug combinations. Such results probably indicate that tolerance can lead to resistance in a wide variety of bacteria. And tolerance, in turn, leads to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Researchers call the immediate exit of several drugs at the same time to avoid the development of tolerance and resistance in bacteria. However, not everything is as simple as it might seem at first glance. Such shock doses of antibiotics can also destroy the immune system of patients. And along with a large number of side effects, the cost of drugs and other factors, this option looks less and less suitable.

Unfortunately, to date, specialists are notThey know how to deal with the increasing tolerance of bacteria to a variety of antibiotics. However, while scientists continue to conduct clinical trials, each of us must abide by the golden rule, at present, the rule that antibiotics should be taken only as directed by a doctor. Do not forget that self-medicating, you endanger not only yourself and your loved ones, but also all the inhabitants of our planet.