Antibiotics and you
Antibiotics are medications used to treat infections caused by bacteria. They can save lives but are a limited resource. The more antibiotics are used, the more likely it is that bacteria will develop resistance. Antimicrobial resistance poses a real risk to our health and safety. It's important we take steps to avoid antimicrobial resistance.
What are antibiotics and antimicrobials?
Antimicrobials is the term used for all medicines that treat and prevent infections caused by microorganisms (also known as microbes or germs).
Antibiotics are one type of antimicrobial that are effective against bacteria.
Other antimicrobials include antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitic agents, which are each effective against viruses, fungus and parasites.
While antimicrobials can help to make you feel better and keep you healthy when you have an infection, there are many infections that can get better without any antimicrobials at all.
There is also a common misconception that antibiotics can help treat viral infections like colds and the flu, however, antibiotics are only effective towards certain infections caused by bacteria.
How does antimicrobial resistance affect me?
Antimicrobial resistance is when an antimicrobial doesn’t effectively treat or prevent an infection that it was previously able to. This happens when the microorganism (germ) causing the infection changes to protect itself from being injured or killed by the antimicrobial.
If these resistant microorganisms later cause an infection that needs to be treated, the antimicrobial that was once able to treat that microorganism ]may no longer work as well, or at all.
Antimicrobial resistance can happen when:
- we are prescribed or use antimicrobials when we don’t need them
- we use antimicrobials too often, or
- we use antimicrobials inappropriately, such as taking them for longer than we need to or using the wrong antimicrobial for our infection.
When antimicrobial resistance happens, it limits the antimicrobials we can use and makes it harder to treat infections.
Antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms can spread from person to person, meaning people can be affected by antimicrobial resistance even without taking antimicrobials.
This makes antimicrobial resistance one of the most urgent public health issues globally.
Antimicrobial resistance also poses a threat to veterinary, agriculture and environmental industries.
The more antimicrobials we use, the more likely antimicrobial resistance will happen
How can I protect myself from antimicrobial resistance?
The best way to protect against antimicrobial resistance is to use antimicrobials only when you really need them. This reduces how often microorganisms (germs) are exposed to these medicines, lowering the chance for resistance to develop, and helps ensure antimicrobials continue to work when we need them.
You can do this by:
- asking your healthcare professional to prescribe antimicrobials only when they are needed
- correctly following the directions and dosage for the antimicrobial you’re prescribed
- only using antimicrobials for the duration that your healthcare professional has advised you
- only using antimicrobials that are specifically prescribed for you
- return any leftover antimicrobials to a pharmacy for safe disposal
- letting your healthcare professional know if you’re currently taking antimicrobials or have recently taken antimicrobials so they can prescribe the appropriate treatment for you, and
- asking your healthcare professional if you there are any alternatives to antimicrobials or if your infection will get better on its own.
Understand if or when you need antimicrobials
We also have a range of resources dedicated to antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance.
What is being done to prevent antimicrobial resistance?
Because antimicrobial resistance can impact anyone at any age, health organisations across the world are working on initiatives to combat antimicrobial resistance.
The Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia initiative (or AURA) is Australia’s national surveillance program for antimicrobial use and resistance.
AURA uses data to track and report on antimicrobial resistance across Australia and supports Australia’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy.
What is antimicrobial stewardship?
Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) programs are about using antimicrobials in the right way to prevent antimicrobial resistance. It includes a range of activities that are carried out by healthcare professionals to promote and support safe and quality use of antimicrobials. These activities include:
- auditing the use of antimicrobials
- reviewing patients on antimicrobials to check that an antimicrobial is needed and that it is the right choice, and
- raising awareness about antimicrobial resistance.
Our Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard requires all health service organisations to have an Antimicrobial Stewardship program and our Antimicrobial Stewardship webpage includes a range of resources that support health service organisations to implement antimicrobial stewardship programs in their organisations.