Antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent threats to the public’s health.
The development of antibiotic resistance is one of the most challenging problems in health care today.
It occurs when the bacteria change in a way that reduces or stops the effectiveness of antibiotics.
When this occurs, the bacteria can survive and continue to grow and strengthen.
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| Antibiotics |
How to Reduce Antibiotic Resistance？
- Never insist that your doctor prescribe an antibiotic for you
- Never take antibiotics for viral infections
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet, drinking enough liquids, exercising, and getting enough rest
- Never take antibiotics that were prescribed for someone else
- Never take antibiotics that were left over from a previous infection
- Practice good hand-washing techniques to reduce your risk of getting or spreading an infection—hands should be washed with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds
- If antibiotics are prescribed for you, finish them even if you feel better
When an antibiotic is prescribed for you, you should take the following steps:
- Inform your physician of any allergies you have—such as a penicillin allergy—prior to receiving any antibiotics.
- Women should inform their doctor if they are pregnant.
- Women also should be aware that some antibiotics could make their birth control pills less effective or make them more susceptible to developing a yeast infection.
- Be sure to take the complete amount of antibiotic prescribed according to the physician's instructions. Failure to comply may result in a reoccurrence of the bacterial infection. Know how and when to take your antibiotic.
- Ask your pharmacist about potential side effects, and contact your physician immediately if serious reactions occur.
- If you miss a dose, do not double the next dose. Simply resume with the next scheduled dose as directed.
- Because some foods and alcohol may interact badly with antibiotics, discuss with your pharmacist whether you should take antibiotics on an empty or full stomach.
- Make sure that antibiotics are stored properly. Although most may be stored at room temperature in a dry place, some require refrigeration.
When Antibiotics Are Needed
- Antibiotics are only needed for treating certain infections caused by bacteria.
- Effective antibiotics are also needed for people who are at high risk for developing infections.
- Some of those at high risk for infections include patients undergoing surgery, patients with end-stage kidney disease, or patients receiving cancer therapy (chemotherapy).
- We depend antibiotics to treat serious infections, such as pneumonia, and life-threatening conditions including sepsis, the body’s extreme response to an infection.
When Antibiotics Aren’t Needed
- Antibiotics do not work on viruses, such as those that cause colds, flu, bronchitis, or runny noses, even if the mucus is thick, yellow, or green.
- Antibiotics are only needed for treating infections caused by bacteria, but even some bacterial infections get better without antibiotics. Antibiotics aren’t needed for many sinus infections and some ear infections.
- Antibiotics save lives, and when a patient needs antibiotics, the benefits usually outweigh the risk of side effects and antibiotic resistance.
- When antibiotics aren’t needed, they won’t help you, and the side effects could still cause harm. Common side effects of antibiotics can include:
- Coughing
- Rash,
- Dizziness,
- Nausea,
- Diarrhea, and
- Yeast infections.
Why should I care about antibiotic resistance?
- Antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent threats to the public’s health. Antibiotic resistant bacteria can cause illnesses that were once easily treatable with antibiotics to become untreatable, leading to dangerous infections.
- Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are often more difficult to kill and more expensive to treat.
- In some cases, the antibiotic-resistant infections can lead to serious disability or even death.
Why are bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics?
- Overuse and misuse of antibiotics allows the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Every time a person takes antibiotics, sensitive bacteria (bacteria that antibiotics can still attack) are killed, but resistant bacteria are left to grow and multiply.
- This is how repeated use of antibiotics can increase the number of drug-resistant bacteria.
Prevention and control of antibiotic resistance by individuals
To prevent and control the spread of antibiotic resistance, individuals can:
- Ensure a robust national action plan to tackle antibiotic resistance is in place.
- Improve surveillance of antibiotic-resistant infections.
- Strengthen policies, programmes, and implementation of infection prevention and control measures.
- Regulate and promote the appropriate use and disposal of quality medicines.
- Make information available on the impact of antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics can be very powerful in treating bacterial infections when they are used properly. To maintain their effectiveness, they should be used only when necessary.
The best way to combat infections is to educate yourself and those around you on the proper way to treat infections without causing harm or making things worse.
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