Facing
Our Antibiotic Dilemma Jordan
Reinbold Submitted
to Dale Sullivan, September 27, 2010 Abstract Antibiotic abuse is on the rise
worldwide. The following is a proposal for a research project that will
identify todayÕs most common and dangerous resistant bacteria. The research
project methods and timeline are laid out in detail in the following paragraphs.
The project goal is to effectively educate the audience. Through education, the
audience will become aware of the damage our past abuse has already caused, and
hopefully inspire initiative to prevent future abuse. Introduction Today, we
have a growing worldwide problem. The problem is the growing prevalence of
antibiotic resistant bacteria, and the overuse of antibiotics. According to the
Institute of Medicine, in 1998 the total cost of antimicrobial resistance in the U.S. alone
was nearly $5 billion and the true cost estimates for 2009 may be ten times
that amount. To add to the concern, the problem stems for
multiple sources. Some of these sources include ignorant patients, greedy
doctors, poor healthcare systems, over accessibility in some countries,
poverty, insufficient supply, and self-medication. These problems have
compounded over time and left us today with some very dangerous genetically
resistant bacteria. I am proposing to thoroughly research todayÕs most common
antibiotic resistant bacteria, and the dangers they pose. By researching and
communicating what I have found, I hope to better educate the public audience
and inspire more critical thinking when it comes to antibiotics. Background The use
of antibiotics as we know them today is a relatively new science. It was in
1929 that Sir Alexander Fleming discovered and named the infamous penicillin.
After its creation, penicillin quickly started to become popular. During WWII,
the ÒmagicalÓ effect of antibiotics was truly noticed. The fame created during
WWII lead to further study of new antibiotics, and by the early 1950Õs, streptomycin, chloramphenicol,
and tetracycline had been introduced and made available to the general public.
In 1953, however, we caught a glimpse of what the misuse of these Òwonder
drugsÓ could lead to. Shigella, an
antibiotic resistant strain of dysentery bacillus, broke out in Japan. This
isolated strain was resistant to all major antibiotics of the time. Today,
almost all bacterial pathogens have developed resistance to at least one type
of antibiotic. The danger lies within the strains that, like the early Shigella, develop resistance to multiple
types of antibiotics. Within this problem is where I find the scope of my
proposal. Project The goal
of my project is to thoroughly research todayÕs most common and dangerous
antibiotic resistant bacteria with the intent of educating the public through
our class website. Having taken previously writing classes, in which research
was required, I feel capable to conduct quality research. Not only will I
conduct quality research, but I will also effectively convey the findings to a
general public audience. My research will include information from several
types of media; including literature, film, and an interview of a medical
professional. The final research report will include sections including a list
of the most common resistant bacteria, history of each bacterium on the list,
statistical data, dialogue from an interview, and a summary. Method I will
begin the research process by accessing the NDSU library and EBSCO host
servers. First, I will research the top five most common and dangerous
resistant bacteria commonly found in the hospital setting. Next, I will
research each individual strain of bacteria; providing history, pictures,
prevalence, statistical data, and future outlook. Once the basic research is
complete, I will look into the problem locally. The local research will include
an interview with someone in the medical field. Once all of the data is
collected from research, I will arrange it into a final report that is easy to
read, and also easily understandable to the public audience. Schedule Date September 27 Proposal
Due September 28 Begin
Research October 15 Conduct
Interview October 16-November 24 Organize
data, write, and submit draft December 3 Submit
final draft Conclusion With growing worldwide concern,
awareness needs to be generated about the effective use of antibiotics. The
project I have proposed will provide a brief history of what our past abuse has
led to, and outline where we may be headed. Hopefully, if we increase education
on the subject of antibiotic abuse, we can veer off our current, dangerous
path. References Modern
History (1999). Oracle Education Foundation. Retrieved
September 24, 2010, from http://library.thinkquest.org/25462/history.html Facts about Antibiotic
Resistance (2009, May 21). Infectious Disease Society of America. Retreived
September 24, 2010, from http://www.idsociety.org/Content.aspx?id=5650 |