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Prematurely Stopping Antibiotics Fuels Bacterial ’Armor,’ Experts Warn
Madrid – A growing threat to global public health stems not from human adaptation, but from bacteria’s remarkable ability to learn from antibiotic treatments, even when patients feel improved, according to leading health experts. Interrupting a prescribed antibiotic course allows surviving bacteria to strengthen adn develop resistance, effectively building “armor” against future medications.
The phenomenon,known as antimicrobial resistance,arises because bacteria aren’t eradicated entirely by initial treatment.As explained by a pharmacist in El Confidencial,”It is not we who get used to ourselves,but bacteria.They are able to learn when we do not sweep them.” This means that when a treatment is halted prematurely - “when we say ‘Oh, I already find a little better'” – remaining bacteria can evolve, sharing information and preparing for subsequent encounters with the same drug.
This evolution isn’t theoretical. Researchers at Australia’s Southern University recently published a study in npj Antimicrobials and Resistance revealing that even common over-the-counter medications like Ibuprofen and Paracetamol can increase bacterial resistance, notably when combined with antibiotics like ciprofloxacin.the study observed that this combination causes mutations in bacteria such as Escherichia coli, making them more tough to treat.
The urgency is compounded by the slow pace of new antibiotic growth.”The problem is that it is indeed not easy to invent new antibiotics.Bacteria and their resistances are winning the race,” laments the pharmacist. Experts emphasize strict adherence to medical instructions regarding dosage and duration of antibiotic treatment, alongside greater public health education and more rigorous prescription controls.
