Antibiotic resistance poses significant dangers by limiting the effectiveness of medical treatments.
When bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, these medications can no longer kill the bacteria or stop them from multiplying. This directly impacts the ability of healthcare professionals to treat infections.
How Resistance Impacts Treatment
The primary issue with antibiotic resistance is its effect on treatment options. Based on the information provided:
- Reduced Treatment Options: Fewer antibiotics are available or effective against the resistant infection.
- Delayed Effective Treatment: Finding an antibiotic that works may take longer, or initial treatments may fail.
Key Serious Effect
As a direct consequence of reduced options and delayed effective treatment, the reference highlights a major serious effect:
- Increased risk of severe, extended illness or death.
This means infections that were once easily treatable can become much more dangerous, leading to longer periods of sickness, more severe symptoms, and potentially fatal outcomes.
In essence, antibiotic resistance makes infections harder to fight, increasing the stakes for patient health and survival.
