Overuse of antibiotics killing Thais at high rate

[QuotaMan]

Should not come as a surprise.

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/779433/overuse-of-antibiotics-killing-thais-at-high-rate

 

Up to 38,000 Thais could be dying from antibiotic-resistant bacteria annually because of overprescription and the prevalence of the drugs in food and the water supply,research has found. 

Drug System Monitoring Mechanism Development Centre manager Niyada Kiatying-Angsulee said her research found Thailand had a worryingly high fatality rate due toantibiotic resistance, but the problem was hidden because the cause of death was usually listed as something else. 

Dr Niyada said with people being routinely exposed to antibiotics, both directly and indirectly, there was a greater chance for bacteria to become resistant and deadly. 

“At least 100 people die per day in Thailand alone from antibiotic resistance,” Dr Niyada said. “You may not think it is a big problem unless the person affected is someone you know. But it killed as many people as deadly diseases like cancer.” 

Dr Niyada, a drug researcher and assistant professor at Chulalongkorn University’s faculty of pharmaceutical sciences, presented her initial research for Antibiotic Awareness Week 2015, held from Tuesday to Thursday. Her final results are expected by the end of the year. 

Dr Niyada has examined antibiotic resistance in Thailand, Europe and America, finding there were 77,000 cases where it caused death. Thailand had 38,000 cases, which was greater than all of Europe, which recorded 25,000 deaths. She acknowledged the data was limited and said Thailand had only become focused on the problem in the past three years. 

Dr Niyada said it was important to be aware of the dangers of antibiotic resistance. 

“When you go to see the doctor and they prescribe you antibiotic pills, you have every right to ask the doctor if your symptoms are caused by a virus or bacteria,” Dr Niyada said. “If it is bacteria then take the pills, if it is a virus then say no.” 

Yet even patients who refuse to take antibiotics are not necessarily safe. According to DMD research, meat, fruit and vegetables in Thai markets have all been found to containantibiotics. 

Research conducted in 2012 by Siriraj Hospital and the National Institute of Health found 56.7% of chicken meat bought from Bangkok supermarkets breached the limit ofallowable bacteria, and multidrug-resistant types were found. 

Dr Niyada warned people could also be exposed to antibiotics from the water supply, as waste from animals treated with antibiotics ends up in river networks which are used to irrigate crops. 

Dr Niyada said patients with antibiotic-resistant diseases get sick easily and do not easily recover with conventional means. 

"All patients have the right to know what they are taking. So please ask the doctor what the name of the pill is. If it is avoidable, do not take antibiotics too often,” Dr Niyada said.

 

 

[siamjj]

yep,no difference in the west.

peddle antibiotics in and orderly fashion til none work,thanks mofo's.c-diff ,staph,list goes on.

been down that road,pro-biotics saved my ass.

thanks for bringing it to the attention of the members.

[ricktoronto]

90% of people here might want to heed this advice since willy-nilly antibiotic recommendations here, nearly 100% wrong each time, are the norm.

 

They don't mention C. Difficile which can kill you without the bacteria needing time to get resistant. You shit yourself to death after screwing up your bacterial flora balance by taking the wrong amounts of the wrong drugs. 

 

Please note that even though probiotics are good for you (and not harmful) they do not cure disease. If someone needs actual antibiotics after proper diagnoses and cultures then they have to take them much of the time. A good source is yogourt with natural and live cultures in it, and reliably made capsules. Not stored at 40C in a Pattaya pharmacy.

 

Also note if you have to take antibiotics then take probiotics a few hours after so the antibiotic doesn't kill the probiotic, which it will.

[Kenjataimu]

Please note that even though probiotics are good for you (and not harmful) they do not cure disease. .

 At best the provide you with a placebo effect to 'feeling better', the placebo effect can be very powerful..