People use too many antibiotics – level 2

27-01-2025 15:00

Antibiotic resistance is a big health problem worldwide because people use antibiotics too much or wrongly.

Many prescriptions are incorrect because of the wrong type, amount, or time of use. To help, experts are trying new tests like a finger-prick test and throat swab. The finger-prick test shows how bad an infection is and if bacteria cause it. It gives results in 2–3 minutes, which means that doctors can decide quickly about what pills to use. The throat swab finds specific bacteria like Group A Streptococcus.

Tests like these can lower the use of antibiotics by 40–60%. Although they are helpful, the finger-prick test needs more research to check its cost and use. If it is successful, these tools can reduce resistance and save lives.

Difficult words: antibiotic resistance (when antibiotics don’t work anymore), prescription (an instruction for a medicine), prick (to make a small hole in something with a sharp object), swab (a soft material on a stick which doctors use to get a sample from the body).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.

What are the benefits of the finger-prick test and throat swab in combating antibiotic resistance, and what further research is needed for the finger-prick test?

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