| Antibiotics are drugs used to kill bacteria that can | | | | antibiotics. For example, benzyl penicillin has little |
| cause illness and disease. Have made an important | | | | effect on most organs of the human digestive |
| contribution to human health. Many diseases that | | | | system (intestines). |
| once killed people can now be treated effectively | | | | Some bacteria are resistant to antibiotics that |
| with antibiotics. However, some bacteria have | | | | once killed |
| become resistant to antibiotics commonly used. | | | | Some bacteria have developed resistance to |
| Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are bacteria that are | | | | antibiotics used to treat them once. For example, |
| not controlled or killed by antibiotics. They are able | | | | Staphylococcus aureus (golden staph) and |
| to survive and multiply, even in the presence of | | | | Neisseria gonorrhoeae (the cause of gonorrhea) |
| an antibiotic. Most infections caused by bacteria | | | | are almost always resistant to benzyl penicillin. In |
| may be less resistant to certain antibiotics. The | | | | the past, these infections are usually controlled by |
| bacteria that are resistant to many antibiotics are | | | | penicillin. |
| known as multi-resistant (MROS). | | | | The main concern of antibiotic resistance is that |
| Antibiotic resistance can cause serious illness and | | | | some bacteria have become resistant to available |
| is a major public health problem. Can be avoided | | | | antibiotics. These bacteria can cause serious illness |
| by reducing prescribing and overprescribing of | | | | and is a major public health problem. Important |
| antibiotics, appropriate use of antibiotics and good | | | | examples are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus |
| hygiene practices and infection control. | | | | aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci |
| Natural resistance | | | | (VRE) and multi-drug-resistant Mycobacterium |
| Some bacteria are naturally resistant to certain | | | | tuberculosis (MDR-TB). |