Essay on Essentials of Antibiotic Development: Coverage, Resistance, Bacterial Structure, and Challenges

Introduction

Antibiotics, also called antibacterial, are medications used to slow down or destroy the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics are powerful medicines and save lives throughout the world. Penicillin was the first antibiotic and is still available to treat a variety of infections. Before the discovery of antibiotics in the 1920s, many people died from minor conditions such as strep throat and after surgeries. The availability of antibiotics in the 1940s changed all that with surgeries becoming safer and people surviving otherwise deadly infections (Ventola, 2015). This paper shall examine the necessary requirements for the development of an antibiotic.

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The Spectrum of Coverage and Resistance Patterns

Antibiotic tx would be a narrow-spectrum antibacterial. This group of antibiotics has limited activity and is useful against a specified species of microorganisms. The narrow-spectrum antibiotic choice is based on the fact that it is more preferred over the broad-spectrum ones. On top of not killing beneficial microorganisms in the body, this antibacterial form will cause less resistance because it will only work against a specific bacteria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), antibacterial resistance is a significant public health concern with some resistance patterns going as high as 90%.

Another significant benefit of the narrow-spectrum antibiotic tx is the absence of the harmful effects that broad-spectrum antibiotics can have on the host microbiome. These detrimental effects are not limited to the treatment duration using antibiotics but may result in altered makeup extending to two years. Because resistance against antibiotics is a serious concern globally, the development team's objective would be to keep the resistance below 20% (Alm & Lahiri, 2010). This low percentage would ensure that antibiotic tx would contribute less to the emerging problem.

Bacterial Structure

Bacteria are single-celled organisms and have a simple internal structure containing floating or twisted DNA and lack a nucleus. Bacterial cells are generally surrounded by an inner cell membrane and an outer cell wall. However, while some have a third protective layer, others do not have a cell wall. Hence, when it comes to classification, bacteria can be distinguished using their shape, differences in genetic makeup, and the nature of their cell wall.

Most of the bacteria reproduce through binary fusion. In this process, the parent bacteria makes a copy of its DNA doubles its molecular content, and grows larger (Alm & Lahiri, 2010). Then, the cell splits into two, thereby creating two identical cells referred to as daughter cells. Other bacteria, such as firmicutes and cyanobacterials, reproduce through budding.

The antibiotic tx would be an aminoglycoside. Hence, the antibacterial compounds would be composed of two aminosugars connected to aminocyclitol by a glycosidic bond. Antibiotic tx would belong to the same class as other aminoglycosides such as sisiomicin, streptomycin, neomycin, kanamycin, amikacin, and gentamicin.

Disease Processes

Bacteria cause disease by excreting or secreting toxins internally. Bacteria cause infections and disease by getting into the host's body and beginning to reproduce and crowd out the healthy bacteria. Antibiotics, including antibiotic tx, work by either killing or inhibiting the growth of disease-causing bacteria. Antibiotic tx would be bactericidal (Alm & Lahiri, 2010). This form of antibacterial would kill the bacteria by targeting the cell membrane or the bacteria's cell wall. Like penicillin and its various varieties, this antibody would penetrate the bacteria and introduce toxins that kill the bacteria.

Failure by Antibiotics

One of the reasons why antibiotics might not be effective is due to resistance caused by overuse. As early as 1945, Alexander Fleming had raised the alarm regarding the overuse of antibacterials, urging that overuse would lead to an evolution of resistance (Ventola, 2015). Studies have demonstrated a direct link between antibiotic consumption and the emergence of some resistant strains. Often resistance occurs through both mutation and horizontal gene transfer. As a process of natural selection, the resistant strain of bacteria is left behind to thrive.

In many parts of the world, antibiotics are unregulated and sold on the counter without the need for a doctor's prescription. This lack of regulation has meant that antibiotics are plentiful, accessible, and cheap. Besides, internet availability has fuelled resistance because people can purchase antibiotics online in countries where they are still regulated. Antibiotic resistance is a serious problem today because it is now estimated that as many as 25,000 people die every year in Europe due to antibiotic-resistant infections (Ventola, 2015).

Another reason for the ineffectiveness of antibiotics is due to inappropriate prescribing. Incorrectly prescribed antibiotics not only promote resistance but also mean that the antibiotics used cannot work. Studies have shown that the choice of agent, treatment indication, and antibiotic therapy duration is incorrect in up to 50% of the cases. A study in the US involving 17,435 patients revealed that a pathogen was only defined in 7.6% of the patients hospitalized with pneumonia (Ventola, 2015).

Studies have revealed that up to 60% of the antibacterial medication prescribed in intensive care units is inappropriate and unnecessary (Ventola, 2015). Antibiotics that are not correctly prescribed expose patients to potential complications of antibiotic therapy. For example, high concentrations can cause mutagenesis. Besides, many physicians are reluctant to prescribe new antibiotics to deal with antibiotic resistance, leading to diminished investment return on a new medication.

Antibiotics have also been ineffective because of the lack of availability of new antibiotics. The development of new antibiotics in the recent past has stalled due to regulatory obstacles and economic downturn. For a long time, the pharmaceutical industry has managed harmful bacteria's growth through innovation and new antibiotics production. For example, of the 18 largest pharmaceutical industry companies, 15 abandoned the field altogether (Ventola, 2015).

To survive in the harsh economic times, a lot of companies have had to merge. These mergers in the industry have reduced the diversity and number of research teams substantially. On the academic front, the economic crisis has resulted in scaling back research into antibiotics because of the substantial funding cuts. Ultimately, the development of antibiotics is no longer considered a viable economic investment in the pharmaceutical industry. This has led to the investment of limited resources in medicines for chronic conditions.

Conclusion

The paper has examined some of the characteristics that are essential in the development of antibiotic tx. The discussion has taken into consideration the spectrum of coverage and the resistance patterns observed across the world of antibiotics. The paper has also taken a look at the structure of bacteria and its means of reproduction besides how antibiotics kill or inhibit the growth of these microorganisms. Lastly, the discussion has explored three hypotheses as to why antibiotics may be ineffective in treating some diseases, including resistance of some bacteria to antibiotics, overuse, and lack of adequate new antibacterial medication in the market.

References

Alm, R. A., & Lahiri, S. D. (2020). Narrow-Spectrum Antibacterial Agents-Benefits and Challenges. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland), 9(7), 418. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9070418

Ventola C. L. (2015). The antibiotic resistance crisis: part 1: causes and threats. A peer-reviewed journal for formulary management, 40(4), 277–283.