Not having antibiotic effectsImage Credit Source: Getty Images
Common Antibiotics Losing Effectiveness Due to Misuse: You must have also realized that earlier fever or infections which were cured in two tablets, now it takes weeks to recover. Doctors also keep changing the medicine and yet the effect on the body is less visible. Why is this happening? Has the effect of antibiotics stop?
A recent report from AIIMS Bhopal has tried to answer this question. Between January 2025 and June 2025, a research was done on the treatment of patients who came to AIIMS Bhopal and the effect of medicines. This report has increased concern in the world of medical science. Anxiety is no longer affecting the level of antibiotics. Why is this happening? What is the reason behind this?
According to the report, many common antibiotics are no longer affecting the body. Especially drugs like Ciprofloxacin were earlier given in urine infection (UTI). Now this drug is showing only 39% effect on E. Kolai bacteria. This means that this medicine does not work at all about 6 of every 10 patients.
Is the drugs weakened or is there something wrong in the body?
Let us tell you that another similar medicine is Meropename, its effect also seems to be decreasing now. A drug called meropename was given for bacteria called KalbCAlla Pneumonia. But now in only 52 percent of cases this medicine is working. For information, let us know that bacteria called KalbCAlla Pneumonia are a major cause of lungs and blood infections. The medicines which were once considered “Strong Antibiotics”, now do not affect everyone.
Strong Antibiotics is no longer effective
The report has also found that medicines like nitrophurantoid and phosphomycin are still working in urin infection. In addition, amicacin drug given in hospitals is working well on dangerous infections such as psidomonas in intensive care (ICU). That is, medicines have not been exhausted, just bacteria have made resistance towards some medicines.
Antibiotics wrong and excessive use
Dr. Pankaj Shukla, who has been the director of Madhya Pradesh Health Department in 2018, said that the biggest reason for this is – wrong and excessive use of antibiotics. He said that whenever we have fever or cough, we immediately take medicine from the medical store without asking the doctor. Never take a course of complete medicine. Sometimes they take antibiotics even in viral. These habits are gradually making bacteria strong.
He also mentioned a study made by ICMR, NHM and AIIMS Bhopal in 2021-22, which found that antibiotics were being given without need in 10 big hospitals of the country. That is, the doctors were giving medicine without microbiology examination, which is not right.
What is the solution?
According to Dr. Shukla, not every viral fever requires antibiotic. Most viral in three days are cured on their own. He advised that culture and sensitivity test must be done before giving any antibiotic. This shows which medicine will affect which bacteria.