World Antibiotic Awareness Week

World Antibiotic Awareness Week WORLD ANTIBIOTIC AWARENESS WEEK IS OBSERVED FROM 18 TO 24 NOVEMBER.

In this current season of viruses and vaccines it has become perhaps more apparent than ever that we as the medical community don’t always have all the answers or cures available to treat certain infections. This is where a topic that I am particularly passionate about comes into play – antibiotic therapy.

Since their development in the early 20th century, antibiotics have been a wonderful and lifesaving aid in treating many bacterial infections which previously would have been fatal. However, fast forward to the 21st century and we are now facing an antibiotic resistance crisis. Instead of only using antibiotics for treating the bacterial infections for which they were discovered, they were now being prescribed incorrectly to treat common colds (these are caused by viruses such as adeno- and rhinovirus). The problem with prescribing them in these viral cases, is that not only will they not treat the cold but the use of them unnecessarily enables the bacteria to undergo evolutionary changes. These changes give the bacteria an enhanced capacity to survive high doses of antibiotics. This then leads to the problem of ineffective or non-effective antibiotic treatment for the bacterial infection itself. The problem is especially rife within the hospital setting where doctors are struggling to find antibiotics which will work for certain highly resistant bacterial strains.

So when should you use or ask for an antibiotic? Here are some broad guidelines to help you:

Antibiotic required:

• Ear ache with severe symptoms for example pain longer than 48 hours and temperature greater than 39°C, both ears affected or if the patient is under two years old. • Nasal pain with symptoms lasting longer than 10 days, long lasting green/ yellow discharge or if fever accompanies the pain. • Sore throat, fever and difficulty swallowing if accompanied by a discharge or pustules in the throat.

Antibiotics not required:

• Blocked or runny nose with non-severe symptoms that lasts less than 10 days. • Sore throat and fever if accompanied by a cough, red eyes, hoarseness and diarrhoea. • A cough lasting less than three weeks is most commonly caused by a viral infection.

Once again, these pointers are purely guidelines and you should always consult your doctor if you have a respiratory illness. Please just remember the next time you ask your doctor for antibiotics that it is not always going to ‘knock out’ the infection. If it is more likely to be viral, first try symptomatic management before resorting to or asking for antibiotics. You will be playing your part in helping us to try and eliminate the superbugs which have the potential to cause more devastation than COVID-19 in the long run.

By Dr Laura Troskie, www.umhlangagp. net.