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A friend was recently diagnosed with strep throat. One week after his treatment,

ID: 99539 • Letter: A

Question

A friend was recently diagnosed with strep throat. One week after his treatment, he redeveloped the infection. In conversation, your friend tells you, "I must have become immune to the drug the doctor gave me!"

a. Discuss the validity of your friend's statement, providing evidence in support of or refuting his claim.

b. After further conversation, your friend tells you that he stopped taking his initial antibiotics after 2 days because he "felt 100% better." Explain how this action might have played a role in the redevelopment of his infection.

Explanation / Answer

a) It is not that the patient becomes immune to the drug. It is the bacteria which causes the infection develops the resistance towards the dosage of drug. Bacteria's growth is inhibited or reduced drastically when the medication is given. But there are chances that a sub- population of such bacteria retains the exposure of antibiotic and when the dosage is stopped can outgrow and cause the infection again in the human body.

b) The sub- population of bacteria acquiring the resistance against a certain drug generally happens due to the over dosage or incomplete medication of the drug as adviced by the physician. When a patient takes antibiotic, there is a fight between effect of drug and the immune system. Most of the bacteria dies but there are some which takes time to get inhibited. If at this stage patient stops to take the medication, the sub populations left can reoccur and cause the infection again. Taking those antibiotics again wont help as the bacteria has become resistant to it. Hence, advisable to complete the entire course of dosage especially in sore throat and ear infection cases so that the infection can be cured from root.

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