Many times when we travel to foreign countries in Latin America, we are told to be very careful about what we eat and drink. Especially the water because it’s not filtered the same way it is in the U.S. Many times, drinking directly from the faucet or even simply brushing your teeth, can get you very sick. This happened to me last summer and when I visited my doctor, she suggested that I just let it run its course, which is not something you want to hear when you’re vomiting straight for three days and the diarrhea does not stop. You want antibiotics, but many times, like in my case, they’re not necessary.
LIKE DailyVitamina.com on Facebook! Get Your Daily Vitamin…FOR LIFE!
According to the CDC, the overuse and unnecessary use of antibiotics is a major problem. When most people feel sick, they immediately run to their doctor for a quick fix and ask for antibiotics and a lot of times they don’t need them. In fact, antibiotics are losing their effectiveness and over-use of antibiotics is making them ineffective for some common illnesses.
The CDC says that drug-resistant bacteria cause 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths each year, which is why they decided to launch a new program that educates people on the issue. The program explains how antibiotics work and which common illnesses don’t require a prescription.
Researchers say that they’re closer to developing a blood test that distinguishes between a viral and bacterial respiratory infection. The test is a simple blood test that could be done at the doctor’s office and in just one hour you can find out if it’s a viral or bacterial infection. With this test, your doctor will know for sure if you actually need antibiotics, lowering the number of prescriptions. Currently, about 75% of patients are prescribed bacteria-fighting antibiotics for viral respiratory infections like colds, when they don’t need them.
The test is accurate about 87% of the time, which can reduce antibiotic use by about 40 to 50%. Researchers are optimistic about the new test and even though it’s not ready yet, they hope to make it affordable and accessible to those that need it.