Every year common infections become more challenging to treat. More people are sick for longer periods of time and there is little medical professionals can do about it. Antibiotics are becoming less and less effective as treatment options for these infections. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a serious public health concern according to both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are bacteria that cannot be killed by specific antibiotics. Currently there are several well known strains of bacteria that are resistant to some types of antibiotics and a few that are resistant to all antibiotic treatments. A common staph infection can take a turn for the worse if it becomes Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The name is self explanatory; MRSA cannot be treated with methicillin because that antibiotic cannot kill this strain of bacteria. It is also resistant to penicillin, oxacillin and amoxicillin. “Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally, but misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the process,” said the WHO.
Professor of biology Dr. David Reid said that there is currently nothing we can do about this bacterial evolution. According to Reid the best way to prevent getting sick from infectious bacteria is to practice good hygiene, especially washing your hands often. The CDC provides the following guidelines for washing your hands properly:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap and apply soap.
- Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Be sure to lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers and under your nails.
- Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
- Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Some bacteria are capable of sharing DNA molecules called plasmids. If the plasmid contains the gene for a certain type of antibiotic resistance this could potentially spread to other bacteria. For example, the resistant gene in a VRSA plasmid could then be transferred to a bacterium that causes pneumonia which can then replicate and infect people. Then we have people with pneumonia who cannot be treated with several antibiotics because they no longer have any effect.
Blackburn does have policies in place to handle a situation where an individual or several individuals acquire an infection like MRSA or VRSA. Assistant Dean of Student Life and Director of Student Life Abbey Hardin said, “The first thing I do is make sure you’re receiving appropriate medical treatment… then I talk with Torry [Grady, the Campus Services Supervisor] to talk about what additional cleaning procedures we need to put in place…and advise the student on how to talk about it with their roommate.” Hardin stressed that the very first step in this process is a student informing her or a member of residence life about the situation.