But bacteria are cunning creatures, and many of them have adapted to the treatments that used to destroy them. Now, drugs that used to treat infections effectively may not do the job completely – or work at all -- in some cases. When that happens, the bacteria is said to have become antibiotic resistant, and that poses a huge problem for medical teams and their patients.
How did this happen? Chiefly through medical personnel's antibiotics overuse, but also through the food system and consumer demand for antibiotic treatments for even minor illnesses.
Antibiotic use was first developed in the 1940s, gaining widespread traction as a wonder drug. Bacteria are living organisms and are found everywhere, including all over and inside our bodies. Many are helpful; some don’t cause harm, but some are dangerous and can cause severe illness or even death. Antibiotics work to stop bacterial growth and halt reproduction.
Resistance Is Not Futile
Bacteria develop resistance to certain drugs by mutating, developing defenses against the way the drug attacks them by protecting against it or simply by neutralizing the drug. Once bacteria has survived an antibiotic treatment, it can pass along its resistance when it multiplies. A bacteria may transfer its drug resistance to other bacteria, in essence passing along the secrets of its success in defeating the drug.