<p>India is one of the largest consumers of antibiotics, with some people carelessly popping them for minor illnesses like a common cold. </p><p>Antibiotics are a powerful group of medications used to treat bacterial infections and are completely ineffective against viruses. Experts say they must not be consumed without a prescription as they are the biggest drivers of antimicrobial resistance in the country.</p><p>The misuse of antibiotics happens when a person self medicates, takes the wrong dosage for a wrong period of time. They are specific drugs and are not a treatment for all diseases, however, they are often overconsumed in India.</p><p>Experts say the mass production and misuse of antibiotics for other than medical reasons has an impact on both the environment and public health.</p>.Drug-resistant bacteria found in Vellore's wastewater, disposed antibiotics to be a breeding cause.<p><strong>What are antibiotics?</strong></p><p>Antibiotics are life-saving medicines that kill bacteria, both in animals and humans. They either kill the bacteria causing illness or prevent it from multiplying inside the body. They are prescription drugs and are only consumed on doctor’s recommendation.</p><p>However, the reality is far from the truth. Many people mindlessly buy it over the counter without a prescription or use pills stored from earlier infections. They are time-bound medicines that are typically consumed between 5 to 14 days for most bacterial infections.</p><p>They are often needed for bacterial infections that don’t go away easily and carry a risk for more complications. </p><p>Even some major surgeries, including joint replacements, organ transplant, cancer therapy and other chronic ailments also depend on antibiotics. Their ineffectiveness can become a major threat to public health.</p><p><strong>Antibiotics don’t work on viral diseases</strong></p><p>Antibiotics don’t work on diseases caused by viruses and are ineffective in treating colds or coughs. Unknowingly, people still use it to treat non-bacterial infections, making the body immune to their effectiveness. Some even abruptly stop the medication once they start to feel better, leaving the course in the middle. This results in the germs not dying completely and rather returning back even stronger the next time.</p><p>Sometimes, a physician might prescribe an antibiotic in anticipation of a secondary bacterial infection. When a viral disease affects the body, the immunity goes down and a person may develop a secondary infection which may or may not be caused by a virus. </p><p>Majority of the upper respiratory infections are caused by viruses, hence, the ideal practice is to take the tests to know the cause of the infection. Sometimes, milder bacterial infections go away on their own and not essentially require a treatment.</p>
<p>India is one of the largest consumers of antibiotics, with some people carelessly popping them for minor illnesses like a common cold. </p><p>Antibiotics are a powerful group of medications used to treat bacterial infections and are completely ineffective against viruses. Experts say they must not be consumed without a prescription as they are the biggest drivers of antimicrobial resistance in the country.</p><p>The misuse of antibiotics happens when a person self medicates, takes the wrong dosage for a wrong period of time. They are specific drugs and are not a treatment for all diseases, however, they are often overconsumed in India.</p><p>Experts say the mass production and misuse of antibiotics for other than medical reasons has an impact on both the environment and public health.</p>.Drug-resistant bacteria found in Vellore's wastewater, disposed antibiotics to be a breeding cause.<p><strong>What are antibiotics?</strong></p><p>Antibiotics are life-saving medicines that kill bacteria, both in animals and humans. They either kill the bacteria causing illness or prevent it from multiplying inside the body. They are prescription drugs and are only consumed on doctor’s recommendation.</p><p>However, the reality is far from the truth. Many people mindlessly buy it over the counter without a prescription or use pills stored from earlier infections. They are time-bound medicines that are typically consumed between 5 to 14 days for most bacterial infections.</p><p>They are often needed for bacterial infections that don’t go away easily and carry a risk for more complications. </p><p>Even some major surgeries, including joint replacements, organ transplant, cancer therapy and other chronic ailments also depend on antibiotics. Their ineffectiveness can become a major threat to public health.</p><p><strong>Antibiotics don’t work on viral diseases</strong></p><p>Antibiotics don’t work on diseases caused by viruses and are ineffective in treating colds or coughs. Unknowingly, people still use it to treat non-bacterial infections, making the body immune to their effectiveness. Some even abruptly stop the medication once they start to feel better, leaving the course in the middle. This results in the germs not dying completely and rather returning back even stronger the next time.</p><p>Sometimes, a physician might prescribe an antibiotic in anticipation of a secondary bacterial infection. When a viral disease affects the body, the immunity goes down and a person may develop a secondary infection which may or may not be caused by a virus. </p><p>Majority of the upper respiratory infections are caused by viruses, hence, the ideal practice is to take the tests to know the cause of the infection. Sometimes, milder bacterial infections go away on their own and not essentially require a treatment.</p>
