Health is actually the general condition of the body and mind of a person. Therefore, health means being free from pain, injury, or illness. Biology is a very imperative discipline that we can apply its knowledge to improve our health. The context that we live in is of great significance for our quality of life and health status. Health is improved and maintained through the application and advancement of health science. Additionally, the individuals or society’s intelligent lifestyle choices and efforts also improve and maintain health. Thus, Biology being ha sub field of science is crucial in our health.
Bacteria refer to the non-cellular or single celled spiral or spherical organisms that lack chlorophyll, which reproduce by fission. These organisms cannot be seen except when one uses a microscope. There are found in air, rotting matter, living bodies, and soil. Some bacteria are germs of diseases. The branch of Biology which studies and classifies Bacteria is called Bacteriology. On the other hand, antibiotics also called antibacterial, are medications types that slow down or destroy bacteria growth. Therefore, they are used in treatment of those infections that are caused by bacteria. However, these antibiotics fail to be effective against viruses. Antibiotics are prescribed by the physician when they are effective.
Antibiotic resistance refers to a form of drug opposition whereby some microorganism sub-populations survive exposure to antibiotics. Their effective lifespan is limited. There are some bacterial strains which are resistant to all antibacterial agents that are present. Pathogenic species that have become resistant leads to infections that cannot be treated with the efficacious antibiotic drugs. Resistance may be acquired or instrinsic. Certain clinically pathogens that are relevant have established resistance to antibiotics. This phenomenon has become serious in contemporary medicine hence it has become among the eminent concerns in the public health.
Resistance is a vexing problem for those people who have impaired immune systems like cancer patients, those with AIDS, and organ transplants recipients. When bacteria are exposed to these antibiotics, they become under selective pressure, which allows the resistant forms to survive and then reproduce. Therefore, this implies that the elementary rule in slowing evolution of resistance is people to reduce unnecessary use of the antibiotics. Resistance occurs quickly in parallel with antibiotics use. Selling of antibiotics over-the –counter should be avoided. The overuse of antibiotics is even practiced in places where they require physician’s prescription. The prophylactic antibiotics use during surgery is very dangerous. Instead of relying on them, surgeons should set up sterile operating theatre.
The human mistake makes the bacteria to learn. This means that, in resistance development the bacterium offspring get it. Bacteria depend on mutations to achieve resistance to antibiotics. Bacteria get genes for resistance in form of transformation that is a method of microbial sex, plasmid that is the resistance acquired from a circle of DNA, and spontaneous mutation. The bacteria share biochemical secrets that is, resistance genes, which enable them to destroy or resist antibiotics.
The prescriptions for controlling bacteria resistance include medical behavior changes to protect existing anti-microbial weapons power. On top of this, non-medical uses reductions and research on new killers for little infectious killers will aide on this. In addition, the basic rule remains to avoid the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Therefore, education of patients and physicians and vigorous drug development is also the best alternative. If antibiotic resistant bacteria become the common source of bacterial infections, this will pose a great threat to our health.
References
Julian Davies, (9/19/96), Bacteria on the Rampage, what doesn’t kill them makes them stronger, pp. 219-220.
Rappé MS, Giovannoni SJ (2003). "The uncultured microbial majority" Annual Review of Microbiology 57: 369–94.
