Article published in the New Indian Express on March 09, 2022 – Last Updated: 09th March 2022 04:28 AM
Two patients were found to be resistant to 11 kinds of major antibiotics, raising concerns of the rising Antimicrobial Resistance building in the community.
HYDERABAD: Doctors at the Kakatiya Medical College are alarmed over a strange development in the last fortnight wherein two patients were found to be resistant to 11 kinds of major antibiotics, raising concerns of the rising Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) building in the community. The two patients had reached the pulmonology department of the hospital with lung issues, and tests revealed that they are resistant to major antibiotics.
“One patient, a 50-year-old male, was earlier suffering from high fever and was prescribed high levels of antibiotics by an RMP. There was no respite and eventually it transformed into chest pain following which he came to us. We diagnosed him to be having pleural effusion and removed the fluid in his chest using needles,” explained Dr Naresh M, Assistant Professor, Pulmonology Department, KMC.
This fluid was then sent for culture where it was found that a bacteria — Acinetobacter — was present which was resistant to 11 kinds of antibiotic medicine. In another case, a female patient reached the hospital with pneumonia in the last fortnight and upon culture tests, was found to be resistant to the antibiotics.
“Their case history shows that they were given antibiotics like Imipenem, Meropenem and Piperacillin etc which are very strong and not needed for common fever, infections etc. The misuse of drugs in the past has made them resistant to these drugs making treatment extremely tough,” said Dr Naresh.
The risks include the patient’s current bacterial conditions remaining untreated and progressing to sepsis and even death.“Currently, we are doing blind treatment by subscribing to a higher dosage of the highest level of antibiotics. The patient’s natural immunity will play a crucial role now and diet and nutrition would be of the highest importance,” the doctor said, adding that the rural location and the sudden spurt in cases have left him worried about a larger silent threat.
Experts have long been warning the healthcare community to prescribe drugs wisely as during the pandemic there was a wide abuse of these antibiotic drugs. Earlier, the Infection Control Academy even conducted a conference that highlighted the growing concerns around AMR.
Telangana currently has no policy in place to tackle AMR unlike States like Delhi and Kerala that have adopted strategies to tackle this global health risk.
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