More than Wellness Talkshow - Billy's Bacteria
By: Maria Pablo, Nina Gautam, Rosalinda Moreno
A talk show discussing different aspects of antibiotic overprescription and resistance, the gut microbiome and child development, including interesting differences between Bangladesh and the U.S.
This talk show dives into a discussion about child development, the gut microbiome, and the different attitudes and practices surrounding the (mis)use of antibiotics. We get into the controversy of how antibiotic use can influence child development, contributes to antibiotic resistance, and causes changes in the gut microbiome. We break down the complicated story of Billy, a boy who was prescribed antibiotics during quarantine and has been sick several times since. His mother, Marg, believes that his issues and symptoms may be due to antibiotic overuse, and called our talk show to learn more about it. Since antibiotic resistance is a global issue, we also call on some experts with knowledge of the varying global legal policies, cultural attitudes, and public health practices surrounding antibiotic prescription. We specifically talk about the situation in Bangladesh as it connects to Billy’s story, comparing and contrasting several phenomena between there and the U.S. We begin with an educational segment that explains the basics of the science behind our topic; namely, what antibiotic resistance is, how it comes to be, and what the microbiome is. We then have a discussion segment with Marg and several experts who help us better understand what social, political, legal, and cultural factors could also have affected Billy’s overprescription. At the end, we answer questions and address concerns that came up for callers.
Kudos! Really well done talkshow on the complexities of antibiotic resistance. - Prof. Kelty
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