FIRS The Global Impact of Respiratory Disease – Second Edition | Page 19

Antibiotics have made most bacterial
pneumonia curable, although antibiotic-
resistant bacteria can complicate care. As with
other diseases in which the causes are known
and cures are available, key efforts must be
made to improve the availability and delivery
of quality healthcare and effective medicines.
Greater availability of pulse oximeters to
guide supplemental oxygen therapy coupled
with better access to oxygen delivery systems
must be a priority for effective treatment of
severe respiratory infections [26].
Early diagnosis is essential, and includes
the need for heightened awareness in the
community. Better diagnostic tests, including
better sampling procedures and better
methods for the rapid detection of infectious
agents, are needed.
Improved diagnosis enables targeted therapy.
Misuse of antibiotics leads to the emergence
and selection of resistant bacteria. More
intelligent use of antibiotics may decrease
the huge problem of antimicrobial drug
resistance. Physicians worldwide now face
situations in which infected patients cannot be
treated adequately because the responsible
bacterium is totally resistant to available
antibiotics. Strategic areas of intervention
include: 1) prudent use of available antibiotics
in patients and animals, giving them only
when they are needed, with the correct
diagnosis, and in the correct dosage, dose
intervals and duration; 2) hygienic precautions
to control transmission of resistant strains
between persons, including hand hygiene,
screening for carriage of resistant strains and
isolation of positive patients; and 3) research
and development of effective antibiotics with
new mechanisms of action [32].
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Forum of International Respiratory Societies