Bacteria, Viruses, and Antimicrobial Resistance
Bacteria and viruses are extremely small organisms, also known as microorganisms, that can live on our skin, in our body fluids, and throughout our digestive tract. They are different from one another, from their biological makeup, how they develop into an infection or disease (pathogenic), and the types of treatments that are necessary to resolve them.
Bacteria
There are bacteria everywhere, with about five nonillion (1030) that exist on Earth and as much as ten trillion (1012) in a healthy person.1 There are different kinds of bacteria, but we typically categorize them into beneficial strains of bacteria and harmful bacteria. Balance between the two is crucial for maintaining health. The beneficial ones help our body’s immune system respond to inflammation, diseases, and disorders, and they help protect against harmful bacteria. Several factors, such as diet, hygiene, and medications, can disrupt this balance and lead to illness or infections.
Bacteria are tiny, single-celled organisms that are prokaryotic, which means they have no nucleus or organelles, such as the mitochondria, and they can take the shape of a sphere, rod, or spiral.2 They all have deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) and reproduce asexually through binary fission, where a cell divides into two new identical cells. This allows them to grow and multiply in large numbers in a short period of time.
Viruses
Viruses do not have organelles and they can only have either DNA or RNA and need a living cell (or host) to reproduce.3 Scientists used to think that even the largest virus was smaller than bacteria, but recent findings of giant viruses have challenged this notion. Viruses can also take on a variety of shapes and sizes, most of which are spheres and rods, and others resemble bottles, lemons, and droplets. The most common viruses are the flu, common cold, and, nowadays, SARS-CoV-2 (responsible for COVID-19). We have plenty of information about COVID-19, including its symptoms, testing, and treatments here.
Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a natural phenomenon that occurs when pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, change and build defences against antimicrobial medicines (i.e., antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiparasitics).4 As a result, an infection can persist, worsen, and/or spread to others. Inappropriate and/or overprescribing of antibiotics, misdiagnoses, poor hygiene, and a lack of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of infection are some of the contributing factors for AMR. Inappropriate antibiotic use can also increase a person’s risks for complications and side effects.
Based on electronic medical records in Ontario, approximately 15% of antibiotics that family doctors prescribed were unnecessary.4 Reports also found that antibiotics failed as a first line of treatment against 26% of infections in the country.5 They predict that this will increase to 40% by 2050, with 13,700 fatalities from resistant bacterial infections. Recognizing the differences between a bacterial and viral infection is necessary for appropriate treatment and management.
Unfortunately, Canada’s healthcare systems are ill-equipped for combatting AMR. There have been national efforts to address it, but the problem is complex and muti-faceted. From 2010 to 2019, Canada ranked last among 15 high-income countries in its approval of only two out of 18 novel antibiotics.5 Access to new antibiotics is vital since limiting treatment options to older and broad-spectrum antibiotics can contribute to resistance. Beyond drug approvals, there are barriers such as costs, administrative burdens and resource limits, lack of timely and accessible diagnostic tools to differentiate bacterial and viral infections, as well as supply chain issues.
With appropriate use, antibiotics are effective treatments that play a vital role in eliminating infections. If you have any concerns, please consult your treating physician or pharmacist.