Many of the countless microorganisms that cause human illness have, throughout our history, adapted into pathogens resistant to various traditional treatments. These superbugs, as they are often called, make it necessary for scientists to develop new medication types to keep up with demand. Because antibiotics are a shared resource among people from all over the world, it is important that researchers from every inhabited continent cooperate together to discover new ways of fighting infectious diseases without administering excessive treatment.Because bacteria are living creatures struggling to survive alongside every other life form on Earth, they must learn to evolve in ways that allow them to continue living and reproducing. When exposed to antibiotic medications, the strain of bacteria causing a particular illness may be eliminated, temporarily disabled or, in some cases, grow stronger. When a bacterium adapts to a medical treatment and again presents itself in the form of an illness, it often proves even more detrimental to the body's systems and more able to resist therapy. Knowing your medical history and reviewing the types of antibiotics used to treat you in the past can help your doctor determine an effective plan that is more likely to succeed in total elimination of the condition.
Another factor that may contribute to growing antibiotic resistance involves our food supply and how we nourish the plants and animals we consume on a regular basis. Some chickens and cattle primarily used for food purposes are treated with antibiotic compounds in order to ensure growth and productivity. These additives are then passed to the humans that consume them, causing a gradual buildup of antibiotics within the body. The immune system cannot differentiate between medications prescribed by a doctor and compounds ingested over time. This can lead to the eventual inability to treat certain illnesses caused by bacteria, resulting in more lengthy and costly medical care. Multiple organizations across America continue to push for more stringent regulations regarding antibiotic use in animals in order to combat this growing trend every year.