Ashley Abernathey's reading response to The Antibiotic Paradox, chapter 8

I think it's great how researchers are going out of the box to find new ways to create antibiotics. I mean frog's skin and insects?? How crazy! Hopefully these new discoveries will help with the quickly evolving resistant bacteria.

Even though we are finding new places and things to create new antibiotics from, there's still the problem of overuse by humans. It is so important for us, as consumers, physicians and doctors to only use treatment when necessary and to follow the guidelines for antibiotics. If we don't do this, we could end up in a world that Levy hypothesized about. Where antiobiotics don't work and masses of people are dieing from resistant strains of bacteria. If this happens it will be so hard to find new drugs and then once new ones are found, bacteria will become resistant to it very quickly, more so than now. Therefore, it is extremely important to educate the public about medications and how they should properly be used. And also for doctors and physicians to follow through with what's right instead of the best way to keep customers. The health agencies in Minnesota had it right when they presented patients with cold symptoms a brightly colored "Minnesota Cough and Cold Care" kit. More health facilities should follow the lead.