Superbugs were already on the rise. The pandemic likely made things worse
Eight bacterial colonies, each one formed by a different pathogen, which have developed antibiotic resistance and caused hospital-acquired infections.
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Article Author: Superbugs were already on the rise. The pandemic likely made things worse
Media Source: National Geographic
Date: 30 January 2022
Public health experts are concerned that misuse and overuse of antibiotics during the pandemic could exacerbate another ongoing crisis of antibiotic resistance. Early in the pandemic, a few studies recommended using azithromycin and doxycycline because of their potential anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties that could help…
Public health experts are concerned that misuse and overuse of antibiotics during the pandemic could exacerbate another ongoing crisis of antibiotic resistance. Early in the pandemic, a few studies recommended using azithromycin and doxycycline because of their potential anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties that could help calm a Covid-19 patient’s hyperactive immune system when it starts destroying its own cells. In some cases, physicians have felt obligated to prescribe azithromycin in rural settings, for example, that lack access to diagnostic tests like X-rays to confirm pneumonia, let alone figure out if its cause is bacterial, fungal, or viral. “When people aren’t as confident, the thought is that it’s better to give it, just in case, why take the risk,” says Rumina Hasan, a pathologist at the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan. She also points out that some inappropriate and overuse of antibiotics during the pandemic has also stemmed from physicians being disconnected or unable to keep up with updated Covid-19 information.