Gutierrez 1

Bianca Gutierrez
Professor Bevill
ENGL 1302-03
3 November 2016
Antibiotics Cannot Cure All
Antibiotics are an extremely useful tool in curing bacterial infections. Antibiotics are a
form of drug that can treat or cure a bacterial or fungal infection by inhibiting the growth and
spread. They destroy the bacteria completely or break down the cell wall which causes the
bacteria to die. Antibiotics were discovered by British physician Alexander Flemming in 1928
but were not used as a treatment method until 1930 by another British physician Cecil Paine
(Cumo 1). Antibiotics were a revolutionary medical device in its beginnings, but sadly they are
often used for minor health issues that do not need antibiotics. This creates resistant strains of
bacteria that can cause a great amount of harm with no easy cure. These superbugs come from
antibiotic misuse. Using antibiotics for any illness and every problem is not how to properly get
an infection to be completely taken care of. Yet people will want them for minor issues or even
viruses. Misuse of antibiotics is how resistant strains of bacteria are born.
With the health system running more like a business than helping the population, doctors
will sometimes use antibiotics to treat everything, especially for profit. As the bacteria becomes
more resistant, this poses a threat as it makes it more costly to treat the infections. As one article
explained, we are paying a high price for the increased levels of bacterial resistance to
antibiotics(Andersson 1). The bacteria are evolving by expressing a resistant gene that inhibits
antibiotics to destroy them. The large issue is that scientists have to identify how the bacteria is
transmitted and how rapidly it grows to be able to find if a previous antibiotic can work or a new

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one has to be made. This means that even though more bacteria is becoming resistant, there is not
much research on how to resolve and expand on our antibiotic arsenal. Instead, pharmacies just
keep prescribing more and more drugs. Another article stated that drug resistance ...is an
inevitable by-product of natural selection (Bates 1). With bacteria being a living cell, it is very
assured that only the strongest will survive. Doctors will often prescribe an antibiotic that is
broad spectrum that can eliminate a wide array of bacteria instead of focusing on one species. As
one article explained, doctors will also treat patients ...by mixing and matching antibiotics with
other drugs, sometimes in trial and error fashion, in hopes of finding a combination lethal to
bacteria but safe in people (Cumo 1). The method might seem like an effective way to treat an
infection, but it can cause all the healthy bacteria in the body to die but let the infectious ones to
grow. A common infection that this occurs is yeast infections for women, the healthy bacteria
dies which lets the yeast flourish.
Patients will often come in wanting a quick fix on their headache or sniffles, while being
ill informed on what the root problem is, demanding antibiotics. This might make the patient feel
as if they are getting properly treated, this may actually cause more harm. When treating an
illness, it is best to know what is causing the problems. Bates stated that doctors will prescribe an
abundant amount of antibiotics to make the patients feel as if they are getting cured. Giving a
useless amount of a medication will not help the actual problem. If an individual has a virus,
such as the flu, giving antibiotics will not solve anything. Viruses are defined as ...extremely
simple microorganisms or as extremely complex molecules, that typically contain a protein coat
surrounding an RNA or DNA core of genetic material but no semipermeable membrane, that are
capable of growth and multiplication only in living cells(Merriam-Webster 1). Antibiotics can
only eliminate living cells, and viruses are not living, they are essentially a microbial parasite.

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Viruses are only living if they are in the hosts cell. Even then an antibiotic will be uneffective.
Patients will also not follow through with the treatment. Some patients with diseases like
tuberculosis or HIV ...do not follow their drug regimen precisely or stop taking the drugs after
they begin to feel better (Bates 1). Although the patient may feel better, the infection may not be
completely destroyed. Bates put it as ...drugs will kill most pathogens, and the body's immune
system will eliminate the rest, including the ones that are drug resistant(1). By stopping
treatment, the bacteria is given a chance to mutate and replicate since the immune system is
already compromised. The pathogens that are resistant reproduce and if the antibiotics were to be
continued, they will have no effect on the infection.
The overuse of antibiotics in humans, animals, and in the agricultural field allows
bacteria to quickly adapt. In agriculture, antibiotics are used to promote growth and treat
common livestock infections. Giving the antibiotics is to prevent a sick animal from spreading its
infection to the whole herd. Although this is beneficial by giving more product out to sell,
excessive overuse of the antibiotics caused certain reactions and resistance. Bates has also stated
that livestock are fed the drugs as part of their daily feed, in part to protect the human beings
who will consume those animals (1). Although this may seem like an effective way to prevent
transmission, antibiotics can also kill beneficial bacteria, like the natural flora in the animal's
stomach that aids in digestion. With the livestock showing symptoms of being ill, due to the lack
of healthy bacteria to help digestion, they might be loaded with more antibiotics. This means that
the animal has a large amount of antibiotics in their system, which can be transmitted when
slaughtered and put in the market. The antibiotics can react in a human's body that may cause
harm. With the overuse in humans, it is seen in our use of antimicrobial cleaners for every
concern. Bates explained that it ...seems to be a wise precaution in protecting against the spread

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of disease (1). The issue is that the antimicrobial soaps and cleaners kill all bacteria, even good
ones that aid in a healthy body. Killing the healthy bacteria on the skin can allow other bacteria,
like staphylococcus, to grow and possibly infect.
With the worlds population growing rapidly and interacting more through business or
entertainment, this allows more infections and diseases to be spread. Having an epidemic in one
location might not be as contained and easily handled. With improper treatment methods to an
infection will also cause it to spread. MRSA, or methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, is a
common resistant bacteria that is spreaded through a population. It was brought up by evolution
and excessive use of antibiotics. When treating an illness, more is not actually better. Antibiotics
can cause the body problems if used excessively for a long period of time. Changing how
antibiotics are given to patients and testing which ones should be given could reduce the chances
of resistance happening so rapidly. Staying on a regimen that a healthcare provider gives also
will lower resistance. Having an educated population on how antibiotics function will likely
lower the possibility of individuals using them improperly, like sharing prescriptions. If the
antibiotic resistant bacteria issue is not addressed, antibiotics will become an inert treatment that
will only be remembered in medical literature.

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Works Cited
Andersson, Dan I. "Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance." The Princeton Guide to
Evolution, edited by Jonathan B. Losos, Princeton University Press, 2013. Credo
Reference,
http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/prgevol/evolution_of_antibiotic_resistanc
e/0. Accessed 12 Oct 2016.
Bates, Christopher. "Drug Resistance." Global Social Issues: An Encyclopedia, edited by
Bates , Christopher G. and James Ciment, Routledge, 2013. Credo
Reference,http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/sharpesi/drug_resistance/0.
Accessed 17 Oct 2016.
Cumo, Christopher. "Antibiotics." World History Encyclopedia, Alfred J. Andrea, ABCCLIO,
2011.CredoReference,http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/abccliow/antibiotics
/0. Accessed 17 Oct 2016.
Definition of Virus by Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, 31 Oct. 2016,
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virus.
LeWine, Howard. "Antibiotic Resistant Super Bugs." Harvard Medical School
Commentaries on Health, HarvardHealthPublications, Harvard Health Publications,
2014. Credo Reference,
http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/hhphoh/antibiotic_resistant_super_bugs/0.
Accessed 12 Oct 2016.
Peng, M., et al. "Animal Health: Global Antibiotic Issues." Encyclopedia of Agriculture
and Food Systems, edited by N. Van Alfen, Elsevier Science & Technology, 2014. Credo

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Reference,http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/estaafs/animal_health_global_a
ntibiotic_issues/0. Accessed 17 Oct 2016.