Uncontrolled antibiotic use promotes bacteria that no longer respond to standard drugs. An infectious diseases expert in Russia, listed as a candidate of medical sciences and chief physician of a diagnostic laboratory, explained this challenge to socialbites.ca. The doctor highlighted that when bacteria resist a particular antimicrobial, the phenomenon is known as antibiotic resistance.
Resistance can be congenital or acquired. Innate antimicrobial resistance is easy to understand; some bacteria are simply not sensitive to certain antibiotics from the start. Acquired resistance is more intriguing: a bacterium that has previously faced an antibiotic becomes resistant to it. Bacteria aim to survive, and antibiotics only kill those that are vulnerable. As a result, the surviving strains develop resistance to the drug and employ various strategies to endure. For example, they may reinforce their cell walls so antibiotics cannot penetrate, or they may accelerate their metabolism so that the antibiotic cannot stay long enough to do damage. The drug enters but is expelled before it can act effectively.
How bacteria acquire resistance varies. Some never develop it, or they do so very slowly. Others rapidly gain resistance to antibiotics. This inconsistency means that some infections are far harder to treat than others, and it underscores the importance of prudent antibiotic use and robust infection control.
Hospitals sometimes harbor a group of bacteria known as hospital flora. This category includes organisms like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter, fecal streptococci, among others. These microorganisms pose special challenges in intensive care units where aggressive antibiotic therapy is common. When these microbes encounter unfavorable conditions, they can quickly acquire resistance and become multi-drug resistant. If such microbes invade the body of a critically ill patient, the situation becomes a serious medical problem. Hospital-acquired resistance has long been a major concern for modern healthcare and scientific research.
Two common mistakes that contribute to antibiotic resistance are taking medicines in too small a dose and stopping treatment too early. When doses are too small, they fail to reach bactericidal concentrations that eradicate all bacteria in the body. Some microbes survive and gain resilience, multiplying and spreading through the population. This pattern is seen in various infections, including gonorrhea. Historically, this bacterium was susceptible to many antibiotics and responded well to treatment. But shifts in patient behavior, such as self-medication and delays in seeking medical advice, have driven resistance to several drugs. This has elevated gonorrhea to a category of concern that healthcare professionals monitor closely. The key message is clear: antibiotics should be used exactly as prescribed by a clinician. Skipping doses or extending treatment without guidance can undermine healing. If a dose is missed, it is generally advised to resume the schedule without shortening the overall course. The overarching aim is to ensure the bacteria are neutralized before the course ends. This often requires a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory testing, and sometimes biomarkers to confirm response to therapy, rather than relying on symptoms alone.
Recent discussions in Russia have referenced using artificial intelligence and electrical methods to locate and optimize antibiotic use in milk and dairy products. These approaches illustrate the broader trend toward data-driven strategies in detecting resistance patterns and guiding treatment choices, a trend that resonates with healthcare communities in North America as well. In the United States, Canada, and beyond, public health agencies emphasize surveillance, judicious prescribing, infection prevention, and rapid diagnostics to curb the spread of resistant bacteria. Clinicians increasingly rely on culture and sensitivity testing, local resistance data, and stewardship programs to tailor therapies that minimize unnecessary exposure and slow resistance development. The goal is clear: preserve the effectiveness of existing antibiotics while identifying novel approaches to manage difficult infections, especially in high-risk settings such as hospitals and long-term care facilities.