State asks for help in preventing drug resistant bacteria

A state task force is trying to head off the number of bacteria that’rebecoming resistant to antibiotics. Leaders of the “Antibiotics ResistanceTask Force” say there have been bacteria resistant to drugs in Iowa foryears, but there’s a potential for the number to really explode. PharmacistNancy Bowersox says Iowans are taking too many antibiotics and that’s makingbacteria resistant. Bowersox says the problem is caused by both doctors andpatients. Bowersox says patients often ask for antibiotics to treat viruses,when antibiotics do nothing to help. She says doctors will sometimes givethem out just to please a patient.She says hospitals and doctors have implemented plans to use antibioticsonly when absolutely necessary.Bowersox says if everyone helps, the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteriacan be held to a minimum State Epimdemilogist Patricia Quinlisk says bacteria related deaths in Iowaare vary rare, but the situation can become worse if it’s not held in check.