About this website
This website presents information about the growing dangers of antibiotic resistance. The developers of this material are science and nursing students at North Dakota State University, enrolled in an upper-division writing in the sciences class.
We began our research by reading Stuart Levy's The Antibiotic Paradox: How the Misuse of Antibiotics Destroys Their Curative Powers published by Da Capo Press, 2002. During the first half of the course, we read and discussed this text and Writing in the Sciences: Exploring Conventions of Scientific Discourse, by Ann Penrose and Steven Katz, published by Longman, 2009.
Students then proposed research projects to develop material for this website. Besides the articles listed below, students created annotated bibliographies, which have now been compiled into one large bibliography available in the "More information" section of this site. They also wrote article reviews, progress reports, and editing reviews of each others' work.
The articles written by the developers are listed below along with abstracts for each. You may access the complete articles by clicking on the links in the navigation bar to the left or by clicking on the "Read more" link at the end of each absract. For more information about the developers, click on the "Developers" link in the navigation bar.
History
Antibiotic resistance: A descriptive overview, Jessica Kopp.
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Antibiotic resistance is a deadly phenomenon that can strike any one at any time.
The medical field has been fighting against antibiotic resistant microorganisms for several decades. However, this phenomenon has continued to plague us. An important step to combating this problem is to spread knowledge to the general public. Therefore, this paper will serve as a descriptive account of antibiotic resistance with the goal of increasing education. To achieve this goal, a full description of antibiotic resistance will be included. Additionally a short background and timeline of the occurrences will be outlined. Contributing factors will be examined to determine what leads to antibiotic resistance. Lastly, guidelines will be offered with the goal of decreasing antibiotic resistance. Read more.
Why should we worry about antibiotic resistance?
Facing Our Antibiotic Dilemma, Jordan Reinbold.
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Antibiotic resistance is on the rise, and so is the buzz surrounding it.
Since they were first introduced, antibiotics have been misguided and
misused. This has lead to multiple bacteria that are now resistant to our
"miracle drugs." This review paper intends to inform the public about
three of these bacteria; methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA), clostridium difficile, and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus
faecium (VRE). Also reviewed is a specific case from a university teaching
hospital regarding a 12 year resistance study and an interview was
conducted with a current Doctorate of Nursing Practice student. These
resources provide general education about these resistant bacteria in
hopes to inspire increased awareness. Read more.
A look at current MRSA rates in the Midwest: Are they increasing or decreasing? Michael Aanes.
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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) have been a significant problem in hospitals worldwide. Doctors became aware of MRSA in the 1960’s but it was relatively rare. It remained a relatively minor problem through the 1970s but started to increase during the 1980’s. In the 1990’s MRSA cases exploded during an epidemic in the United Kingdom. This sparked my interest in learning more about the MRSA rates in the Midwest and to look at if they were increasing or decreasing. My research focused on a literature review of current research on the increase or decrease of MRSA rates in different geographical regions, populations and the differences in Community Acquired (CA) or Hospital Acquired (HA) MRSA rates, as well as obtaining current information from the North Dakota and Minnesota Departments of Health. Through this research I was able to make a determination of what is happening to the MRSA rates in the Midwest over the last decade. Read more.
Does modern agriculture contribute to the antibiotic resistance problem?
Antibiotic Use and Farming, Ashley Abernathy, Victoria Albers, Marti Hoekstra.
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Recent concerns about antibiotic resistance have fueled the consumer
trend and turned their pocketbook toward organic antibiotic-free
products. The rising concern and hot debate over the health hazards
associated with antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use in farm animals
has many of us confused. As a group we have decided to further
investigate the use of antibiotic use in farm animals and to weigh the
risks and benefits of organic farm products. Our research utilized the
knowledge of two area organic farmers and an animal nutritionist through
the use of interview. We are then able to compare and contrast our own
results with the background information we have found throughout our
research. Read more.
Methocillin-resistant _Staphlococcus aureus_ strain ST398, Felicia Lamb.
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Methocillin-resistant Staphlococcus aureus (MRSA) is a virulent bacteria which affects human health in multiple pathways. MRSA has been a direct result of improper antibiotic use over several decades. The resistances built by bacteria are directly impacting our healthcare system locally and on a global scale. MRSA has several strains that have developed as a result of mutating genes, but the strain ST398 has been reported to travel from pigs to humans and is of particular interest. Specifically, ST398 has the ability to jump species lines, causing extreme adverse effects in select populations. This review paper will discuss the affect of MRSA on human health, its vectors, transmission, and current modes of treatment. The goal is to synthesize the most current information in order to promote better health education. Read more.
Knowledge and Action
An Analysis of the Public Understanding of Antibiotics and Antibiotic Misuse, Josiah Nelson and Tyler Burslie.
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In the early years of their use, antibiotics were seen as “miracle drugs.”
However, in the time since their discovery the miracle has faded into an
evolutionary arms race between scientists and doctors developing new
antibiotics and their bacteria foes. Much of the source of the problem
lies with the improper use of antibiotics. Ignorance of antibiotic
resistance and its causes is at least partially to blame for misuse. A
random survey of 30 people was conducted to provide an assessment of the
general public’s knowledge of antibiotics and antibiotic misuse. The
results of this study aid in providing an educational focus for English
324 online media and to help increase awareness of antibiotic misuse and
resistance. Read more.
Behaviors Associated with the Misuse of Antibiotics, Samantha Magnus.
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The inappropriate use of antibiotics is an important issue around the world. Not only can the use of antibiotics for viral infections or over use of antibiotics promote antibiotic resistance but it can also increase the likelihood of preventable drug-related adverse events. Inappropriate use of antibiotics can be linked to two main sources; the prescriber (the physician) and the user (the patient). The antibiotic seeking and taking behaviors of the patients can promote antibiotic resistance within the community. On the other hand the inappropriate antibiotic prescribing behaviors in physicians can also promote antibiotic resistance. This literature reviews common antibiotic seeking and taking behaviors in patients and prescribing behaviors in physicians which promote antibiotic resistance while offering advice on how to avoid and change these behaviors. Read more.
Alternative Treatment Options
Alternative Treatment For Bacterial Infection in Response to Antibiotic Resistance, Brittany Christopherson.
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Antibiotic resistance is a continual foe. Despite continual effort to combat infection using antibiotics, little effort has been allotted to finding alternative treatments. Numerous alternatives exist, and present research, though scarce, shows promise. Viable treatments include: herbal and plant extracts, folk remedies, exploiting the placebo effect, and already existing over the counter products. This extended commentary attempts to collect the various research done in the area of alternative treatments and condense these studies into a quick reference. The examples provided are only a glimpse of what is possible, but are backed by thorough research- many by the rigors of clinical trials. Read more.
Phage Therapy, Thomas Kalinoski.
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Phage therapy is the application of bacteriophages to therapeutic effect in the body to control pathogenic bacteria. The use of phages has many potential applications for treating bacterial infections, especially infections that do not respond to conventional antibiotic treatment. Although the use of phages to control bacteria has been proposed decades ago, phage therapy use for human medicine has not yet been approved in most of the world and continues to undergo extensive research. This review examines various research literatures involving the use of phages in human medicine. Included background information features some of the basic information already known about the bacteriophages and their potential applications. The study’s results reveal the findings on the efficacy of phage therapy as well as the present concerns about its safety and conclusions about its potential future in western medicine.
Read more.
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