She is a 32 year old working woman who came in with a bad sore throat and a high fever at 38.7 deg C. She looked distressed. History revealed that she had been having sore throat repeatedly , 3-4 times a year and she was getting desperate. For the latest episode, she had gone to see a private doctor who prescribed the usual course of antibiotics and acetaminophen (for relief of fever) three days ago however the fever has not subsided and her throat pain was getting worse.
Physical examination showed that her tonsils were enlarged and inflamed with white patches especially on the right side and her right eardrum was also hyperemic (red) and true enough, she complained of right earache as well.
This is a case of antibiotics resistance, meaning that the germs are no longer sensitive to the antibiotics which are normally prescribed for this condition. Either she had not been taking the antibiotics according to the prescribed period, thus the resistant bugs, or due to possible lack of antibiotics efficacy/potency.
To kill off her resistant (and recalcitrant) bugs, the doctor has to carefully choose an antibiotics which are not regularly used by other doctors ( as culture and sensitivity studies of her throat swab would take 2 weeks!) to which her germs have not been exposed to and let us keep our fingers crossed for her!
On an advisory note, whenever you are prescribed an antibiotics, comply with the prescribed time even though you might have felt better before the course is finished.
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