Changing Pathogens B1 1.8 Flashcards
What actions can be taken to slow antibiotic resistant bacteria
To prevent more resistant strains of bacteria appearing it is important to not overuse antibiotics
Only use them when needed
Antibiotics don’t affect viruses, so do not use them for viral symptoms.
Use the right type of antibiotic for the bacterial infection.
Ensure you finish the course of antibiotics
Do not use for mild non serious infections.
How to reduce the spread of microorganisms such as MRSA in hospitals.
Antibiotics should only be used when needed
Specific bacteria should be treated with specific antibiotics
Medical staff should wash hands with antiseptic, alcohol or soap. Between patients. They should wear disposable clothing or clothing that’s regularly sterilised.
Visitors should wash their hands before entering and leaving hospital.
Patients infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria should be looked after in isolation to other patients.
Hospitals should be kept clean, high standards of hygiene should be in place
Why is mutation in bacteria and viruses such a problem.
New forms of disease can appear. These pathogens can spread quickly and cause widespread illness because no one is immune to them, and there is no effective treatment.
Vaccinations are no longer affective against new strains of virus.
There may be an epidemic or even a pandemic.
Antibiotics will no longer be affective at treating bacterial infections. Diseases caused by bacteria could spread and become very difficult to treat.
How does antibiotic resistance occur
Normally an antibiotic kills the bacteria of a non resistant strain however individual resistant bacteria survive and reproduce. So the population of resistant bacteria increases.
They produce new strains by natural selection
Antibiotics are no longer used to treat non serious infections. Such as throat infections caused by viruses hopefully this will slow down the rate of resistant bacteria.
