Less than 200 years ago if someone got an infection their chances of survival were often very poor. But ever since the first natural antibiotic was discovered in 1928, antibiotics are our first port of call for any sign of infection – whether we really need them or not.
However, there is evidence that our reliance on super antibiotics is resulting in bacteria becoming resistant to them; and with over 19 million antibiotic prescriptions written in Australia every year we are one of the worst culprits of this epidemic.
Antibiotic Awareness Week in Australia – 12-18 November – is part of a global initiative to combat the development of antibiotic resistance by raising awareness among health professionals and the wider population.
According to the National Prescribing Service (NPS), who is leading the campaign, every time we take antibiotics unnecessarily or incorrectly we are encouraging the development of dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can lead to the spread of superbugs in the wider community.
Claire Boardman, past president of the Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control, highlights that this is the first year that Antibiotic Awareness Week has been officially recognised nationally with a formal campaign, which will be led by NPS Medicines Wise.
She is urging all Australians to become ‘resistance fighters’ by clicking ‘like’ on the NPS Facebook page here.
‘Individuals can also help by relieving some of the pressure on doctors to prescribe antibiotics to patients who have a cold or flu that will not respond to antibiotics,’ she said.
Ms Boardman also said that our attempts to be 100% germ-free could be in vain. ‘Infection control professionals often refer to something called ‘gutter immunity,’ she said.
‘In other words, the bugs you are exposed to in everyday situations actually help you to build a healthy and responsive immune system.’
‘Consumers have been bombarded with a number of new products promising to kill 99.9 per cent of germs. Neutral detergents, hot water and a bit of elbow grease remove most of the bugs in the home.’
However, she does recommend the use of alcohol-based hand rubs that are easily found in pharmacies and supermarkets. ‘These are great products to help reduce the spread of bugs on hands,’ she said.
To find out more about how you can become a ‘resistance fighter’ during Antibiotic Awareness Week and beyond, visit www.nps.org.au.
