Changing battles: Are bacteria now outsmarting our strongest drugs?
This development indicates that previously reliable medications are increasingly unsuccessful, heightening patient vulnerability.
Analysis of infection cases between Jan to June 2025 at the institution presents troubling statistics. Their research demonstrates that resistance to ciprofloxacin now lowered to 39% of E. coli bacteria, which frequently causes urinary tract infections. This indicates treatment failure in approximately six of every ten patients.
Additionally, Klebsiella pneumoniae, responsible for respiratory and blood infections, displays significant resistance patterns. The efficacy of meropenem, a crucial antibiotic, has diminished substantially to 52% effectiveness compared to previous periods. However, certain positive developments exist. Nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin remain reliable treatments for urinary infections. Furthermore, hospital-administered amikacin demonstrates improved effectiveness against Pseudomonas infections, particularly in intensive care settings.
Dr Pankaj Shukla, former director of the Madhya Pradesh department of health and family welfare around 2018 took the lead on creating a MP State Action Plan for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance. "We must stop using antibiotics carelessly. Misuse accelerates bacterial resistance."
He cited the example of chloramphenicol, once a frontline antibiotic for typhoid, which was discontinued due to rising resistance.
"I believe it can be prescribed use under strict caution," he added.
Dr Shukla further stressed that most viral illnesses subside within three days, and in such cases, antibiotics should be avoided.
Dr Shukla cited a study conducted in 2021–22 by ICMR, NHM, and AIIMS Bhopal. Across ten hospitals, antibiotics were administered without justification, bypassing microbiological protocols. "Culture and sensitivity testing must be a prerequisite before prescribing antibiotics," he added.
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