Learning about cells and their roles in organisms is the first step to understanding the basic building blocks for life. As you know there are not only multi-celled organisms but also single-celled organisms. Many of these single-celled, eukaryotic organisms called bacteria have a major effect on human systems. They may range from the plankton in the ocean water that helps create the abundant oxygen supply to the Streptococcus pneumoniae that may cause lower respiratory infection. The latter mentioned bacteria are the ones that may have adverse side affects on human systems.

Have you ever gone to the doctor because you had a cold and you wanted to get a prescription for antibiotics? Do you use antibacterial soaps or other antibacterial products? Do you wash your hands regularly?

With the onslaught of antibiotics and antibacterial products on the market a major issue of antibiotic resistance in bacteria populations has begun to arise. There has been an increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics on a widespread basis because people have been using antibiotics when they aren't needed. Antibiotic resistance in bacteria occurs when antibiotics cannot kill them. For too long people have been using antibacterial products to combat a variety of diseases that may not even be caused by bacteria. Both viruses and bacteria cause infections, but antibiotics only work against bacteria. Scientific research is always developing new drugs to be used for killing bacteria but these new drugs may be overused and new strains of resistant bacteria may evolve

When situations like this arise, someone has to take the responsibility to ensure public health and safety. Several questions arise: Whose job is it? Is it solely the responsibility of the scientific professionals or is it also the responsibility of the general public to learn more in order to become better informed? Should the government impose restrictions on antibiotic use? Sometimes the public community lacks a basic understanding of scientific concepts and sometimes the scientific community does not communicate its research clearly and effectively to the public. How do we overcome these problems while still communicating the importance of the antibiotic resistance issue?

There is a prominent campaign to educate people about the overuse of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in the Capital Health region, which serves Edmonton, Alberta (Canada) and surrounding areas (population 1,000,000) called "Do Bugs Need Drugs?" Many people do not understand the long-term implications of the situation that is arising. It is important that everyone plays their part in reducing the use of antibiotics in order to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to fight infections like we have had.

Created by Michelle Colangelo, Gary Lipon, Owen Hawkridge and Karen Regnitter, 2002