The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on a new wave of additional antibiotic treatments. | stock photo
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on a new wave of additional antibiotic treatments. | stock photo
Medical experts say that overusing antibiotics can increase drug-resistant germs because the bacteria changes and develops resistance over time.
Approximately 2 million infections from antibiotic-resistant bacteria occur in the U.S. each year, resulting in 23,000 deaths, Mayo Clinic reported.
“In general, if you have an infection that you cannot eradicate with antibiotics, then the bacteria that survive generally select for a stronger population that are more resistant to the drug,” Dr. Anthony Sanders, a doctor from the Indianapolis Sinus Center, told East Indy News. “So the more antibiotics you take throughout the years, the higher the likelihood you’re going to have resistant bacteria.”
Unfortunately, treating COVID-19 over the last year and a half may have contributed to more drug-resistant bacteria. A potential unintended consequence of the coronavirus is that the increase in prescriptions for antibiotics could be causing more resistance to them, according to BioWorld.
For sinus patients who have had a balloon dilation, a procedure offered at Indianapolis Sinus Center, the average number of antibiotic courses during the 12 months before treatment is 4.5 while the average number of courses of antibiotics one year after treatment is 1.6, according to research published in the medical journal The Laryngoscope. So one way to reduce antibiotic use among sinus sufferers is by performing this minimally invasive procedure, which can be done in the doctor's office and has a relatively short recovery period.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between one-third and one-half of antibiotic use in humans is unnecessary or inappropriate, reports Mayo Clinic.
Sanders said drug-resistant bacteria can also contribute to sinus infections. Having chronic sinusitis -- defined as recurring sinus infections over a period of three months or more -- can make it hard to enjoy everyday life. If you think you may be suffering from chronic sinusitis, take this quiz from the Indianapolis Sinus Center.
Alerts Sign-up