Stopping the superbugs
The deadly impact of antibiotic overprescription — and what you can do to help
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a fast-growing threat to Australians and our health system. Dr Mina Bakhit explains the role we can all play to fight against it.
We’ve all been there. After days (that can often feel like weeks) of suffering cold and flu symptoms, we head to our local doctor hoping to find a solution. But our desire for short-term relief from sickness is contributing to some long-term — and deadly — consequences. Antibiotics are a group of medicines that can be prescribed to help fight bacterial infections in humans and animals. But the use of antibiotics is also what drives antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria react to antibiotics by changing over time until they no longer respond to the antibiotic treatment.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a broader term, describing what happens when different types of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, stop responding to medicines. It’s a growing and very serious issue, with deaths from AMR predicted to overtake cancer deaths by 2050. Bond University Assistant Professor, Dr Mina Bakhit, leads research into antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) at the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare (IEBH) and explains how reducing antibiotic use can help combat the impact of AMR.
It’s an ‘us’ issue
“There are a lot of ways you can encounter antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” says Dr Bakhit. “Maybe you’re at greater risk of a resistant infection because you’ve taken antibiotics recently.
“Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can also be transmitted between family or household members leading to severe infection — even amongst those who have not recently taken antibiotics. Or you may have been exposed to a resistant strain while in a healthcare setting. It's the general use of antibiotics that drive resistance and a collective effort is needed to reduce the risks that come with overuse.”
Investing in a nationwide solution
Dr Bakhit’s IEBH research team, alongside researchers from the University of Melbourne, the University of Newcastle and the University of Adelaide, have been granted $4 million by The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to combat inappropriate antibiotic use in Australian clinical practice. The five-year clinical implementation trial aims to identify the most effective strategy for intervention in primary care settings, to reduce the use of antibiotics and — in turn — reduce resistance in the broader community.
“More than one-third of the Australian population had at least one antibiotic in 2022, with most antibiotic prescriptions happening in a community setting,” points out Dr Bakhit. “We’ll be inviting general practitioners (GPs) to help co-design intervention packages that use proven approaches, including audit and feedback strategies and information handouts, to target primary care patients with acute respiratory infections. These packages will then be rolled out for testing on a large scale.”
“More than one-third of the Australian population had at least one antibiotic in 2022...”
We need to take action
It’s estimated over a thousand Australians lose their lives each year from antimicrobial resistance. Left unchecked, the impact of AMR will continue to grow, affecting treatments and straining our healthcare systems through longer hospital stays and increasing costs.of legal systems.
Protect yourselves and your community
Always ask your doctor, "Is this antibiotic prescription necessary?".
“If you have a sore throat, middle ear infection, or an acute cough, it’s always best to have a chat with your GP,” says Dr Bakhit. “Ask about the benefits and harms of taking antibiotics and whether or not the medication is necessary.”
Need vs want
Antibiotics don’t help against viral illnesses. And for bacterial infections, Dr Bakhit says antibiotics may only reduce the duration of some illnesses by 12 to 24 hours.
“It always depends on the type of infection and individual patient circumstances; make sure that your preferences and values are acknowledged in your conversation with your GP,” he says. “But repeated exposure to antibiotics comes with a higher risk of infection by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So, the less antibiotics you are exposed to, the better.”
We need to take action
It’s estimated over a thousand Australians lose their lives each year from antimicrobial resistance. Left unchecked, the impact of AMR will continue to grow, affecting treatments and straining our healthcare systems through longer hospital stays and increasing costs.of legal systems.
Protect yourselves and your community
Always ask your doctor, "Is this antibiotic prescription necessary?".
“If you have a sore throat, middle ear infection, or an acute cough, it’s always best to have a chat with your GP,” says Dr Bakhit. “Ask about the benefits and harms of taking antibiotics and whether or not the medication is necessary.”
Need vs want
Antibiotics don’t help against viral illnesses. And for bacterial infections, Dr Bakhit says antibiotics may only reduce the duration of some illnesses by 12 to 24 hours.
“It always depends on the type of infection and individual patient circumstances; make sure that your preferences and values are acknowledged in your conversation with your GP,” he says. “But repeated exposure to antibiotics comes with a higher risk of infection by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So, the less antibiotics you are exposed to, the better.”
Try an alternative option
There are other ways to relieve the symptoms of infection when choosing not to use antibiotics, including over-the-counter pain relief, increasing your fluid intake, and good old-fashioned rest.
“Alleviating pain and fever are the biggest concerns for patients, but these can be managed with over-the-counter medications as advised by your GP,” Dr Bakhit says.
“It doesn’t hurt to ask about your treatment options, including the option of no treatment.
"It can come with great benefits for yourself, others and your whole community.”
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