NIMHANS to host conference on Antibiotics resistance

Take a good look at the antibiotics before popping it because there is a fair chance your system may resist it.

The warning comes from microbiologists who would be part of the 42nd annual conference of Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists (MICROCON 2018) to be officially inaugurated on November 29 by Prof Vinod K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog.

They say irrational use of antibiotics available over the counter has triggered an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The conference will focus on spreading awareness over AMR, which is threatening to cause a health crises across the globe and touted as the next big pandemic wave to sweep the planet.

Dr V Ravi, a professor at neurovirology department at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) said irrational use of antibiotics, self-medication, irresponsible purchase practices and shoddy use of antimicrobial in hospitals contribute to AMR.

“There’s pressure to use the new high-end antibiotics hitting the market for different ailments. If a person develops resistance to one antibiotics, none of the other antibiotics would work. It’s a dangerous situation for patients,” Dr Ravi said.

He said patients also become resistant to antibiotics as they consume meat or fish injected with the medicine. “Chicken, meat and eggs injected with antibiotics easily transmit the medicine to human and in some cases result in AMR,” he said.

Dr R Ravi Kumar, who heads NIMHANS’ department of Neuromicrobiology, said antibiotics administered for gastro, urinary tract and respiratory infections are gradually developing resistance. “Patients don’t complete the course also cases AMR,” he added.

Walkathon

The Microcon conference, the first ever, was launched on Thursday with a walkathon with a slogan "Stop antimicrobial resistance".