Summary

IN TOO MANY CASES.. ANTIBIOTICS AREN'T DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.. A LOOK AT WHY AND WHO'S AT FAULT

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 174640
Story Slug New Antibiotics - Pt 1 (1999)
Location Joplin, Missouri
Format Pkg/vosot
Date 12/1/1999
Archive Time 53:46
TRT 2:03
Supers Joplin, MO Stuart Price, Reporting Prof. Mike Lawson, Missouri Southern State College Dr. John Dougherty, Family Practitioner
Video Description WOMAN USING MICROSCOPE, CU MICROSCOPE LENS, SLIDE OF BACTERIUM, WOMAN PREPARING PETRI DISH, STILL OF SORES ON FACE, MAN WITH BANDAGED HANDS MISSING FINGERS, PHARMACIST COUNTING OUT PILLS, CU PILLS, STANDUP, MOURE COUNTING OF PILLS, PEOPLE IN HOSPITAL EXAM ROOM, LITTLE BOY WITH I-V ON BED, LAWSON SOT ON IMMUNE SYSTEM, CU PILLS, PHARMACIST PUTTING PILLS IN BOTTLE, LAWSON SOT ON HOW BACTERIA LEARN TO BE RESISTANT, STILL OF BACTERIA LINKING UP, LAWSON SOT ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO CREATE RESISTANT BACTERIA, WAITING ROOM, DOUGHERTY SOT ON PATIENTS' EXPECTATIONS, STILL OF VIRUS, CHICKENS BEING FED, EGGS ON CONVEYOR BELT, COWS IN WATER
Description IN TOO MANY CASES.. ANTIBIOTICS AREN'T DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.. A LOOK AT WHY AND WHO'S AT FAULT
Script LEAD: AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, ALMOST ALL OF US HAVE BEEN ON AN ANTIBIOTIC. THESE DRUGS ARE DOCTORS' ONLY LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST BACTERIA. BUT SOME ANTIBIOTICS AREN'T WORKING ANYMORE. STUART PRICE EXPLAINS WHY AND TELLS US THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE TO BLAME. SCRIPT: BIOLOGISTS SAY BACTERIA JUST LIKE THIS ONE HELPED MAKE LIFE ON EARTH POSSIBLE. SO IN A WAY, WE OWE OUR EXISTANCE TO THEM. AND, EVERY DAY, THEY HELP OUR BODIES TURN FOOD INTO ENERGY. BUT WHEN THEY GET IN TO THE WRONG PLACE IN THE BODY, AT THE WRONG TIME, THEY CAN CAUSE REAL PROBLEMS.. EVEN MAIMING AND KILLING. (NATS) SO WE USE ANTIBIOTICS TO GET RID OF THESE MISPLACED MICROBES. (STANDUP: ANTIBIOTICS LIKE THESE ACCOMPLISH THE SAME THING IN ONE OF TWO WAYS: SOME KILL THE BACTERIAL CELL OUTRIGHT.. OTHERS PREVENT IT FROM MULITIPLYING AND LET THE BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM FINISH THEM OFF.) AND WHEN THE DRUGS DON'T WORK, IT BOILS DOWN TO YOU AGAINST THEM. AND BIOLOGIST MIKE LAWSON SAYS, WINNER TAKES ALL. (LAWSON Sot-Your body's immune system will protect you or else you're going to die.) THE MORE OFTEN BACTERIA ARE EXPOSED TO ANTIBIOTICS, THE QUICKER THEY LEARN TO BEAT THEM. (LAWSON Sot-If I'm a bacterium, ... antibiotics. What I can do is make a copy of that gene and then transfer that copy through a bridge that I can make to another bacterium.. and now both of us are resistant.) THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS PICTURE. AND EACH TIME THESE TWO CELLS MULTIPLY, EACH NEW COPY HAS THE SAME TRAIT. (LAWSON Sot- You can create a population of antibiotic-resistant cells in a matter of a few days) SO HOW DO WE OVER-EXPOSE BACTERIA TO THE DRUGS? WELL, IN PART BY EXPECTING TO GET THEM EVERY TIME WE SEE OUR DOCTOR. (DOUGHERTY Sot-Well there's a very high expectation when patients come in to the office that they get something. And they all perceive that they need an antibiotic) BUT IF THE CULPRIT IS A VIRUS LIKE THESE THEN THE DRUGS WON'T HELP AT ALL. AND NOT FINISHING A BOTTLE ALSO LEADS TO RESISTANCE BECAUSE YOU NEVER COMPLETELY KILL OFF THE BACTERIA. EXPERTS SAY THE ANIMAL INDUSTRY ALSO HAS MIS-USED THEM IN THE PAST. (LAWSON Sot-'Cuz they're necessary when the animals are sick. But we're saying don't use the antibiotics in feed just to promote growth) MEDICAL
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