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WiRED Marks World Antibiotic Awareness Week

BY ALLISON KOZICHAROW AND BERNICE BORN

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ntibiotics save millions of lives each year around the world, but the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals present challenges to fighting infectious diseases.

 

“The rise of antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis, and governments now recognize it as one of the greatest challenges for public health today. It is reaching dangerously high levels in all parts of the world,” said Margaret Chan, M.D., World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General.

 

A recent World Health Organization (WHO) survey found that ignorance about antibiotic resistance exists worldwide. Antibiotics are medicines used to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance occurs naturally when bacteria mutate and become resistant to the antibiotics used to treat the infections that bacteria cause. Bacteria, not humans, become antibiotic resistant. These bacteria may then infect humans and become harder to treat than non-resistant bacteria. A person can take antibiotics correctly and still get a bacterial infection. Antibiotic resistance leads to higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays and increased mortality.

 

“The rise of antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis, and governments now recognize it as one of the greatest challenges for public health today.”
— Margaret Chan, M.D.
Director-General
World Health Organization (WHO)

Health organizations and leaders worldwide have responded to the dangers of antibiotic resistance. WHO launched a global multiyear campaign this November with the theme “Antibiotics: handle with care.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention marked November 16 through 22 as Get Smart About Antibiotics Week. President Barack Obama sent out a proclamation declaring this a week of antibiotics recognition for the
United States.

 

WiRED International offers many modules in its Health Learning Center which describe treatment with antibiotics, and which remind people that using antibiotics safely and effectively is the best practice.

 

Antibiotic resistance will remain a major threat unless people’s behavior changes, including taking action to reduce the spread of infections through vaccination, hand-washing and safe food handling. Informing the general public, healthcare workers, pharmacists, policymakers and the agricultural sector about antibiotic resistance is vital. WiRED urges everyone to get educated about antibiotics.

 

 


Antibiotic Resistance: Prevention and Control

Antibiotic resistance is accelerated by the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, as well as by poor infection prevention and control. Steps can be taken at all levels of society to reduce the impact and limit the spread of antibiotic resistance.

 

The general public can help by:

  • Preventing infections by regularly washing their hands, practicing safe food handling, avoiding close contact with sick people and keeping vaccinations up to date
  • Using antibiotics only when prescribed by a certified health professional
  • Always taking the full prescription
  • Never using leftover antibiotics
  • Never sharing antibiotics with others

 

Health workers and pharmacists can help by:

  • Preventing infections by ensuring that their hands, instruments and environments are clean
  • Keeping patients’ vaccinations up to date
  • Taking bacterial cultures and testing to confirm whenever a bacterial infection is suspected
  • Prescribing and dispensing antibiotics only when they are truly needed
  • Prescribing and dispensing the right antibiotic at the right dose for the right duration

 

The agricultural sector can help by:

  • Ensuring that antibiotics given to animals — including food-producing and companion animals — are used only to treat infectious diseases and under veterinary supervision
  • Vaccinating animals to reduce the need for antibiotics and developing alternatives to the use of antibiotics in plants
  • Promoting and applying good practices at all steps of the production and processing of foods from animal and plant sources
  • Adopting sustainable systems with improved hygiene, biosecurity and stress-free handling of animals
  • Implementing international standards for the responsible use of antibiotics, as set out by WHO and other organizations

 

The healthcare industry can help by:

  • Investing in new antibiotics, vaccines and diagnostics

 

Source: WHO

 

 

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