Multidrug resistance is mainly a human-made problem. For example, multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis is caused by non-compliance or inadequate administration of tuberculosis drugs.[1] Because of the length of treatment required for tuberculosis and drug side effects, improper drug use is common in this condition. As patients feel better, they wrongly stop taking their medication. The tuberculosis bacteria are still not eradicated from the body and build resistance to the first-line drugs that the patient has already taken. When the patients fall ill again, the bacteria will be unresponsive to the first-line drugs and they will be highly contagious, and deadly.
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) belongs to a family of MDR bacteria. They have evolved so that most antibiotics cannot kill them, causing CRE to be referred to as “superbugs”. Colistin is a (potentially toxic) antibiotic used as a last resort treatment for CRE and for many MDR Gram-negative bacterial infections. The overuse of antibiotics in hospital settings and the community promotes the growth of bacteria like CRE. MDR bacteria can spread and infect many people.
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter is an important antibiotic-resistant pathogen in healthcare settings. Historically, carbapenem drugs have been the most effective treatment for infections caused by MDR Acinetobacter. The overuse and misuse of many antibiotics, such as carbapenems contributed to the development and spread of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter. MDR Acinetobacter can cause serious infections and is hard to treat.
To tackle MDR, hospitals must improve their sanitation hygiene and practices, for example by ensuring that everyone washes their hands before and after touching patients and their environments. Hospitals must also implement and enforce an antibiotic stewardship program to ensure that antibiotics are used effectively. People in the community must wash their hands, keep themselves hygienic, and stop overusing or misusing antimicrobials.
Check out these videos about MDR:
Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis: No Promises, by Ron Haviv in Tajikistan
References
1 Huber, C. (2017, March 20). The Causes of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis. The Borgen Project. Retrieved from https://borgenproject.org/causes-multi-drug-resistant-tuberculosis/