Antibiotics Extinct!

Are you ready for a world without antibiotics?

Well, in just a couple of generations’ time, what once appeared to be “miracle medicines” may have been beaten into ineffectiveness by the very bacteria they used to be able to treat. Yes, it’s true, the post-antibiotic era is coming.

It’s a scary thought, considering we have grown up in a world where antibiotics are considered to be wonder drugs, helping us and our children recover when we’re bowled over by bacterial infections.

Ironically, though, many of these wondrous antibiotics have become less effective due to their overuse and misuse. For a long time now, doctors have known they were in a race to stay a few steps ahead of the rapidly growing resistance of bacterial infections to antibiotics but now they are warning us that we all have to come to terms with the fact that antibiotics are losing their punch.

In fact, certain bacteria are now resistant to first line treatment and sadly, the way we’ve been over-using antibiotics is helping to create new drug-resistant “superbugs.” These are strains of bacteria that are resistant to several types of antibiotics, with drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis, gonorrhoea, and staph infections being just a few of the dangers we now face.

So how has this happened?

Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed medicines for people. Unfortunately, many antibiotics prescribed to people are unnecessary and this misuse of antibiotics has helped to create drug-resistant bacteria. Scientists say that over time, if more and more people take antibiotics when they’re not necessary, drug-resistant bacteria will continue to thrive and spread and drugs may become less effective or not work at all against certain disease-causing bacteria.

What can you do to reduce antibiotic resistance?

Antibiotic resistance is everybody’s problem.

You can help slow the spread of drug-resistant bacteria by taking antibiotics properly and only when needed. Don’t insist on an antibiotic if your health care provider advises otherwise. It is not appropriate to take antibiotics for colds and flu viruses and it is not appropriate to demand them from GP to treat colds and flu viruses.

If you or your child take antibiotics when you don’t need them it can impact on you or your child’s personal resistance to antibiotics, which means they might not work in the future when you really need them.

Thankfully, word is getting out.

Antibiotic myths:

Some of the common myths associated with antibiotics may be the reason so many people jump on the drug train when the simple sniffles arrive, but to be clear taking antibiotics will not speed up the recovery time for viral infections.

• People underestimate the nature of colds and flu viruses; they can actually make you feel quite sick and last a long time. Symptoms can last for a week or 10 days, and some of them such as a cough can last for as long as 3 weeks, so it’s easy to think it must be something worse.
• Most coughs, earaches, sinus congestion and sore throats will improve or get better without antibiotics.

If you are in generally good health, your immune system will take care of most respiratory tract infections caused by viruses and even some bacterial infections, by itself.

How you can help

While scientists search for ways to beat back these stubborn bacteria, you can help by preventing the spread of germs so we depend less on antibiotics in the first place. The best way to prevent bacterial infections is by washing your hands frequently with soap and water. It’s also a good idea not to share personal items such as towels or razors. And use antibiotics only as directed. We can all do our part to fight drug-resistant bacteria.