Antibiotic Awareness Week 2014: Imagine a World without Antibiotics
As Antibiotic Awareness Week 2014 is held across Australia from 17-23 November, NPS MedicineWise is asking all
Australians to imagine a world without antibiotics and join the fight against antibiotic resistance.
NPS MedicineWise CEO, Dr Lynn Weekes, says that Antibiotic Awareness Week is a timely reminder that we all urgently need
to take action to change the course of antibiotic resistance. The threat of antibiotics losing their power is a real
prospect in the Australian community: without individual action, Australians face a dire future where simple infections
could be life-threatening and surgery is deemed too high risk.
“Australians need to understand that antibiotic resistance is a significant and very real threat to personal health. As
more antibiotics become ineffective against bacterial infections, we face the prospect of returning to a pre-antibiotics
era where conditions we’ve been able to historically treat with antibiotics become untreatable.”
“This is a serious public health issue and it requires everyone to take action. The inappropriate use of antibiotics on
an individual level contributes to bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics. Using antibiotics when you don’t need
them may mean that they won’t work for you when you do need them in the future.”
Examples of bacteria in the community that have already developed resistance to a number of antibiotics include strains
of Escherichia coli (E. coli) that cause many urinary tract infections and ‘Golden Staph’, a common cause of skin
infections. Failure of the last-resort antibiotic treatment for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea has been
reported, and Australia has already experienced cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the community.
Dr Weekes said that a world without antibiotics is very real prospect unless we all join the fight to prevent antibiotic
resistance.
“This is not just an issue our children or grandchildren will face. Antibiotic resistance is occurring in the community
now and could easily affect any one of us,” says Dr Weekes.
“The more antibiotics are used, the more chance bacteria have to become resistant to them. If people take them
inappropriately, when they are not needed or carelessly, it could have direct implications for them, their family and
their community. The good news though is action now from individuals and health professionals can help prevent the
spread of antibiotic resistance.”
The key messages for Australians to remember this Antibiotic Awareness Week are:
Antibiotic resistance is a personal threat that requires personal action. It is not just someone else’s problem.
Antibiotic resistance is not only a major issue for hospitals, veterinarians, or countries overseas. It is happening
right now in the Australian community.
Overuse and misuse of antibiotics is increasing the problem of antibiotic resistance. We are all part of the problem
and the solution.
Don’t always expect an antibiotic. Antibiotics do not work for all infections.
If you are prescribed an antibiotic, ask why it is necessary for your illness.
When you need antibiotics take them exactly as prescribed. Never save leftovers for another time or another person.
Always practise good hygiene to avoid infections and prevent them spreading to others.
This Antibiotic Awareness Week, NPS MedicineWise is calling on all health professionals and the Australian community to
commit to change by pledging to fight antibiotic resistance at www.nps.org.au/join-the-fight or at www.facebook.com/NPSMedicineWise.
ENDS