The study states that five bacteria were found to be the deadliest in India, causing 6,78,846 (about 6.8 lakh) deaths in 2019 alone. Of these, E Coli was the deadliest pathogen, which was responsible for 1.57 lakh deaths in India in 2019.
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According to the latest report of Lancet bacteria Infection (infection) is the second largest cause of death in the whole world. In 2019, the year before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, pathogens were linked to 7.7 million deaths, which was 13.6 percent of the total worldwide deaths. In the study, research was done on 33 common bacterial pathogens and deaths due to 11 types of infections in 204 countries and territories. Only in India, 6.8 lakh deaths have been registered in 2019 due to bacterial infection.
The study states, “Five bacteria – E Coli, S pneumoniae, K pneumoniae, S aureus and A baumanii – were found to be the most lethal in India. Due to which 6,78,846 (about 6.8 lakh) deaths occurred in 2019 alone. E Coli was the deadliest pathogen, responsible for 1.57 lakh deaths in India in 2019.
There is an increasing risk of bacterial infection
The researchers said that while many assessments currently exist for pathogens such as tuberculosis, malaria and HIV, assessments of diseases caused by bacterial pathogens have been limited to a handful of specific pathogens and infection types, or only specific ones. Focuses on population. But for the first time after this study, the dangers of bacterial infection have been revealed in detail.
In a conversation with News9, Dr. Ishwar Gilada, Consultant, HIV, STD and Infectious Diseases at Unison Medicare and Research Center in Mumbai, told that these bacterial infections are not new in the country. “The country has been facing bacterial infections for a very long time. But these deaths are mainly due to our own behavior and negligence.”
Improper use of antibiotics is one of the main reasons
The study warned against the inappropriate use of antibiotics in combating bacterial infections, which are proving fatal. Dr. Gilada said, “Patients often start taking antibiotics on their own without consulting a doctor. Due to their excessive use, this antibiotic stops affecting some bacteria.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when these drugs do not work against bacteria. This path leads to higher cost of treatment, longer hospital stay and increased mortality. According to some reports, more than 70 percent of the isolates of some common bacteria were resistant to commonly used antibiotics. That is, those antibiotics were not affecting the bacteria.
Overuse of easily available antibiotics, self-medication, and wrong treatment by some doctors are responsible for this condition. Dr. Gilada elaborated, “Almost everyone has taken antibiotics to combat viral infections, without realizing that antibiotics work on bacteria, not viruses. Buying medicines on the advice of a shopkeeper is a common practice in India. Wrong antibiotics, wrong doses and not completing the dose when the patient is feeling better, all these factors are responsible for the rise of superbugs in our country.”
According to the study, out of 6.8 lakh deaths due to bacterial infection in the country, most of the lives were taken by E Coli. He said, “Contaminated water is one of the biggest causes of E Coli disease. This bacteria is related to diarrhea, urinary tract infection and pneumonia. We take these diseases as commonly occurring diseases and think that they can be treated by self-medication or by using old doctor’s prescription. But it is not so at all.
deal with bacterial infection
Dr. Gilada emphasized on the availability of pneumonia vaccine. He said, “Deaths due to pneumonia indicate that the cost of the vaccine should be further reduced. The cost of pneumonia vaccines in India is around Rs 2,000-4,000, which is not affordable for everyone. That’s why there is a need to bring indigenous vaccine at affordable rates so that people of all sections can take it.
He also said that there is a need to find vaccines for other bacterial infections to better deal with this disease.
The expert praised the way India dealt with Kovid-19 and said that the epidemic played an important role in making the country health conscious. He said, “But now it is time to deal with other diseases as well. Infectious diseases are not taken seriously in our country and hence it is not treated properly. For better treatment, we need to change our attitude.
Dr. Gilada concluded that just as medications for mental illness are not available over-the-counter or purchased without a prescription, “the same needs to be done with antibiotics.”
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Source: www.tv9hindi.com”