Antibiotics!

Antibiotics

• One of the most frequently prescribed medications

• Cure disease by killing or injuring bacteria. • The first antibiotic was penicillin.– Discovered accidentally from a mold culture– Today, over 100 different antibiotics are available

to cure minor, as well as life-threatening infections.

• Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections. –useless against viral infections (for example,

the common cold) and fungal infections (such as ringworm), etc...

• Antibacterial antibiotics.– Target the bacterial cell wall.– The cell membrane – Interfere with essential bacterial enzymes– Target protein synthesis

Resistance of bacteria• The emergence of resistance of bacteria to

antibacterial drugs is a common phenomenon. • Reflects evolution (natural selection). • Basically, antibacterial treatment selects for

bacterial strains that are able to survive high doses of antibacterials.

• Under certain conditions, it may result in preferential growth of resistant bacteria (ie, selecting the “most fit”)

• Resistance to antibacterials also occurs through horizontal gene transfer. This is when bacteria swap some DNA!

• More likely to happen in locations of frequent antibiotic use, like a hospital!

• Many antibacterials have become less effective, because of increased resistance.

• Antibacterial-resistant strains and species, sometimes referred to as "superbugs“.

• Example, resistant tuberculosis (TB). • Every year, nearly half a million new cases of

multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) are estimated to occur worldwide.[

Causes of the increase in resistance?• Inappropriate treatment and overuse – frequently prescribed to treat symptoms or diseases that

do not respond to antibacterial treatments– Failure of medical professionals to prescribe the correct

dosage of antibacterials on the basis of the patient's weight and history of prior use.

– Failure to take the entire prescribed course of the antibacterial.

– use of antibiotics in animal husbandry. • emerging antibacterial resistance has been

occurring since the 1950s.

Reduce the resistance?• Take your entire course of antibiotics.– If an antibiotic is stopped in midcourse, the

bacteria may be partially treated and not completely killed, allowing for more resistant bacteria to survive.– This can cause a serious problem if those now-

resistant bacteria grow enough to cause a reinfection.

• Frontline: Hunting the Nightmare Bacteria

Vaccine Debate!

• The vaccine debate comes from misinformation/mistrust & vs. scientific data & testing.

• It is difficult to summarize the two sides but not impossible!

Anti-Vaccine• DON’T GET VACCINATED• CLAIMS:• Too many during childhood.• Just get the disease is fine.• Probably won’t get the disease because it’s so rare

now so why vaccinate?• Preservatives in the vaccines are toxic and placed right

into the blood steam, no way for your body to filter.• Unvaccinated kids are healthier overall.• Side effects like seizure, autism, etc

Pro-Vaccine• GET VACCINATED• Claims:• Diseases that were “gone” come back b/c we do not live

in a bubble. What might not exist here probably does in other places thus get vaccinated

• Prevent diseases with side effects that cripple or kill• Vaccinate for the greater good- some people cannot get

vaccinated for medical reasons• No significant correlation between many side effects

claimed by anti-vaccine types and vaccine• Documented & correlated major side effects (seizure,

coma, etc) are extremely rare

• We will watch a PBS Frontline Video called “Vaccine War”.

• 1st we’ll take a survey.• During the movie please do your best to

answer the questions on the worksheet.