COLDS, FLU AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE Everything you need to know to become an antibiotic resistance fighter.

COLDS, FLU AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Everything you need to know to become an antibiotic resistance fighter

CONTENTS

What you need to know about bacteria and disease

What are antibiotics and how do they work?

Antibiotic resistance:

-How it happens

-Why it’s a problem

-What you can do to help prevent it.

BACTERIA AND DISEASE

Bacteria are tiny organisms that are too small to see with the naked eye.

Most bacteria in the body are harmless and some are beneficial like the native bacteria in our gut that help digestion.

Some bacteria can cause infection and disease.

Not all infections are caused by bacteria. There are also viral and fungal infections.

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ANTIBIOTICS AND HOW THEY WORK

Antibiotics work by killing bacteria or stopping them from multiplying.

Sometimes they are prescribed before surgery to prevent a bacterial infection from developing.

Before the discovery of antibiotics in the 1930s, bacterial infections were often fatal.

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ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change to protect themselves from an antibiotic.

When this happens, antibiotics that previously would have killed the bacteria, or stopped them from multiplying, no longer work.

It’s not a new problem, but more and more species of bacteria are becoming resistant to available antibiotics.

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WHY DOES RESISTANCE DEVELOP?

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is the major cause of resistance.

Examples of inappropriate use are:

- Using antibiotics to treat non-bacterial disease (like colds and flu)

- Taking ineffective doses of antibiotics

- Not taking antibiotics for the correctlength of time.

THE BALANCE IS TIPPING

Virtually no new antibiotics are being developed

This means our pool of available antibiotics that work against resistant bacteria is getting smaller.

The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts if antibiotic resistance is not slowed there will be a return to pre-antibiotic levels of morbidity and mortality (poor health and death) due to bacterial infections.

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CONSEQUENCES OF RESISTANCE

When antibiotics stop working for bacterial disease there can be serious consequences including:

- Less options for treating serious bacterial infections.

- Longer and more expensive hospital stays.

- Increased mortality.

- More chance that epidemics of disease may develop.

PREVENTING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Everyone in the community has an important role in reducing the rate of antibiotic resistance by:

- Using antibiotics the right way

- Reducing the spread of infection.

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TREATING COMMON COLDS AND FLU NEEDS COMMON SENSE

Common cold and flu are both caused by viruses.

Antibiotics won’t help:

- A cold or flu get better faster

- Stop a cold or flu getting worse

- Prevent a cold or flu spreading to other people.

Treat the symptoms

- Rest

- Drink lots of fluids

Learn more here

PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COLD AND FLU INFECTIONS

Wash your hands.

Cover your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing.

Dispose of tissues properly.

Avoid sharing drinking bottles, cups or utensils.

Stay home when you are sick to prevent infecting others.

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DOCTORIf you are wondering whether you need an antibiotic:

Would an antibiotic help me get better sooner?

What can I do to manage my symptoms?

How soon should I start to feel better?

Do I need to come back to see you?

If you are prescribed an antibiotic:

Why do I need to take an antibiotic?

How often and for how long do I need to take it?

Do I need to keep it in the fridge?

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Antibiotic resistance is everyone’s problem and we all play a part in reducing it.

Antibiotics don’t treat viral (e.g. cold and flu) or fungal infections.

Always use antibiotics appropriately:

- For the RIGHT condition

- The RIGHT dose

- The RIGHT duration.

Practise good hygiene and infection control.

By not using antibiotics when you don’t need them they will be more effective when you do.

Take the pledge today and join the fight at /npsmedicinewise.