Marti Hoekstra's Reading Response for chapter 8 of The Antibiotic Paradox

There are a few points from this chapter that especially jumped out at me. I found it extremely interesting the new ways that scientists are discovering and making new developments of antibiotics and antibiotic-like substances. A source of new bacteria by drilling miles beneath the earth's surface?! Insects as sources? Antibacterial components in the skin of frogs?! The potential for the development of new antibiotics is all around us and may be right beneath our eyes. A exciting, yet possibly disturbing source was the use of human neutrophils. Could this some day lead to an ethical issue involving the use of human cells and blood?

This chapter also reinforced the importance of educating the public in the use of antibiotics. There are so many ways that resistance can be minimized simply in the way that people take their prescribed medications. The medical field has a HUGE impact on the future of antibiotics and it will take teamwork by all in the field to make changes. Physicians and providers prescribing the medications only when necessary, nurses educating patients on their proper use and providing the drugs in the correct frequency and amount of dosages and the researchers who continue to look for ways to cut down on our reliance on these medications.