Resistance to antibioticswe must change attitudes

The problem of bacteria resistant to antibiotics has become increasingly important in recent years. Professor Daniel Floret, professor of pediatrics and chief of emergency department and pediatric intensive care unit at the Edouard Herriot hospital in Lyon, the precise mechanisms of emergence of resistance and involves overprescription, especially in nurseries.

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Doctissimo: For the worldwide organization of health, antibiotics may no longer be effective within 20 years because of the increasing appearance of resistance in their target, ie bacteria. What do you think of this ad?

Pr Floret: This prediction is somewhat alarmist. The emergence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a normal phenomenon. A few years after the discovery of the first antibiotic, penicillin resistant pathogens have emerged. Since there is a race against time between the onset of resistance in bacteria and the discovery of new antibiotics by the industry. But nothing suggests that we will lose this race. So far the industry has always had an edge, although some bacteria can cause some problems. This has accentuated the problem is the irrational use of antibiotics for several years. Hopefully this phenomenon will decrease through better education of both physicians and families.

Doctissimo: You say that the emergence of resistance leads to the need to constantly discover new antibiotics. Pharmaceutical research keeps Does indefinitely ahead?

Pr Floret: The number of antibiotics is certainly not unlimited, but opportunities are still great. It certainly comes at the end of the current family of antibiotics, but there are a number of possible families who have not yet been explored. We are not yet back to the wall, which does not mean it should not be vigilant and should not fight against the overuse of antibiotics.

Doctissimo: This increase in resistance may she lead the resurgence of disease disappeared?

Pr Floret: The diseases caused by bacteria, such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough have disappeared (or seen their influence decline) with antibiotics. These are mainly vaccination campaigns that helped make them disappear. The increased rate of antibiotic resistance will therefore not lead the resurgence of these diseases.

Doctissimo: How to fight against the emergence of antibiotic resistance?

Pr Floret: The main problem is the inappropriate prescription: it continues to treat massive disease known full well that they are caused by viruses. This is unacceptable. However, a suitable prescription, as in Iceland, for example, can significantly reduce the rate of resistance.

There is also the problem of widespread use of antibiotics in factory farms. These treatments are used against epidemics whose development is favored by the gathering of thousands of animals. Moreover, some antibiotics are used as growth promoters in animals.

This use causes the emergence of resistant germs that can be transmitted to humans. The problem was found in the United States: a variety of enterococci (bacteria in the intestines) resistant to most antibiotics have been found in patients who had not received such treatment. This resistance could not occur in animals and before moving humans through food.

It is normal to use antibiotics to treat sick animals, but such use must be monitored to prevent abuse. This is the role of the French Agency for Food Safety.

Doctissimo: You have done a study on the emergence of antibiotic resistant germs in day care. Why give special attention to these institutions?

Pr Floret: When children are in kindergarten, they have many more infections, including viral, than those kept at home. However, these viral infections cause a systematic manner prescribed antibiotics. Some doctors give children as they observe the fever. In addition, families are also responsible: parents generally have a problem of storage and therefore wish their child recovers quickly. Due to a lack of information they require prescription antibiotics, thinking that their child will heal faster. In kindergarten, 70% of nasopharyngitis, viral damage, and are treated with antibiotics. This massive use reveals some children resistant pathogens. They will forward them to other children and their families. The crib becomes a place of emergence and spread of bacteria resistant to antibiotics.

 

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