The Supply and Demand for Antibiotics: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Bacteremia as an Example
The initiation of the antibiotic era 7 decades ago
led to extraordinary progress in the treatment
of serious and often fatal bacterial infections. In
the early part of that era, however, there was a
lack of appreciation for mutation, genetic transfer, and
Darwinian selection of resistant bacteria by the use (and
overuse) of antibiotics. As a result, for decades, physicians
were relatively indiscriminate in routinely using
antibiotics for even trivial infections (many caused by
viruses), which led to inappropriate expectations of their
use by patients.
