M6.6 Use of Antibiotics

1. Antibiotics Resistant 101: How Antibiotic Misuse on Factory Farms Can Make You Sick

• I have learned about the human health risks from using antibiotics in food animals by watching a documentary from Frontline called "The Trouble with Antibiotics". It is frustrating to know that Congress and FDA has not done much to address this growing publc health threat. It is also concerning that humans would do anything to grow food animals faster at the risk of human health, directly and indirectly. It is scary to think that we will one day live in a world where antibiotics will not work anymore and there are superbugs flourishing around us. 

2. Nearby Livestock May Raise 'Superbug' Risk

• The government should really take this as a sign to regulate antibiotic use in livestock. Like Dr. Kluytmans said, public health officals need to figure out the routes of transmission so they know how to contain MRSA. Without proper procedures, MRSA will continuosly spread and will become difficult to contain. If an epidemic arises, it is a clear sign that public ehalth officials aren't doing their jobs since there is evidence available about the increasing prevalence of MRSA present among individuals. 

3. Scientist Discover That Antimicrobial Wipes and Soaps Maybe Making You (and Society) Sick

• This article reminded me in college where I would see this one guy in class who would always wipe his individual desk with what might be an antimicrobial wipe before he sat down. And I'm just there thinking, what does it really do if he's just going to sit down on the seat that he didn't wipe? I always carry hand sanitizer with me to use after I get off the bus and before I eat. Since this article is citing that there is no evidence that antimicrobial products are effective and it may be making us sick, I am thinking I should stop using hand sanitizer and just go to the bathroom and wash my hands with regular soap instead. 

4. Antimicrobials in Hospital Furnishings: Do they help reduce healthcare-associated infections?

• I am shocked to learn that there is little data on the safety and efficacy of using antimicrobial in furnishings and its potential unintended consequnces, and yet hospitals, of all industries, are using this practice to reduce the spread of infections. Like the report has stated, the research community needs to implement more studies to establish safety and efficacy of antimicrobial usage. I don't think it is right for some hospitals to use non-evidence-based practices because it goes against how health professionals operate their work.