Bacterial Infections and Antibiotics: A Casual Discussion 2001.12.14

Bacterial Infections and Antibiotics: A Casual Discussion 2001.12.14

Typically, only 20%–30% of patients with fever are infected with bacteria, indicating that antibiotics are ineffective for most fevers and may even increase adverse reactions in some cases. More than half of childhood diarrhea cases are caused by rotavirus, suggesting that antibiotics are ineffective for half of all diarrhea cases. Drug sensitivity tests conducted from March to June 2000 in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou on common respiratory infections in children showed that ampicillin had a sensitivity rate of over 84% against Haemophilus influenzae, while pneumococcal infections in the Beijing area were sensitive to penicillin but not in Guangzhou (64%), demonstrating that antibiotic sensitivity varies across regions for the same bacterial strain. Additionally, the issue of combining antibiotics must be carefully considered. Quinolones alone are more than 90% effective in treating urinary tract infections, but their efficacy decreases when used in combination with chloramphenicol or gentamicin. Physicians should stay updated on new antibiotic knowledge; otherwise, problems in this area are likely to arise.