WORLD Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020 is happening November 18-24. Run by the World Health Organisation, the week highlights the issue of antibiotic resistance and the things we can all do to help ensure these medicines remain effective for us. AMY CHILDS from the Glasgow Science Centre explains the issues.

ANTIBIOTICS are used to treat diseases in humans, animals and plants, so we need them to work.

Antibiotic resistance is when microorganisms like bacteria resist the effects of the medicines, which makes infections harder or impossible to treat. It also gives rise to superbugs (more on those later).

What causes it?

You may have noticed last time you went to the doctor, she didn’t prescribe you an antibiotic for your sore throat. This is because the NHS doesn’t use them to treat trivial conditions anymore – the more they are used, the more ineffective they become.

The misuse of antibiotics is one of the factors behind the process of resistance. For example when people take antibiotics for a cold or flu (which are caused by a virus) or not finishing the full course of antibiotics.

When we take antibiotics this way and give bacteria unnecessary exposure to the medicine, they learn how to survive.

Enter the superbug

Superbugs are strains of bacteria that are resistant to lots of antibiotics, so they’re more likely to persist in the body and spread to others.

Two superbugs we have experienced in Scotland are MRSA and C.diff. Bugs like these are becoming a global problem, and the fear is more of these could emerge that we can’t treat.

What does this mean for Covid-19?

Covid-19 is a virus, so it can’t be treated with antibiotics. That doesn’t mean they’re not playing a role in the pandemic – Covid patients on ventilators, for example, can contract infections that need to be treated using antibiotics.

Antibiotics must be protected to maintain efficacy for those who truly need it. Before the pandemic, there were already rising concerns over the consequences of antimicrobial resistance for patients with a life-threatening prognosis. For example, cancer patients are prone to contracting bacterial infections due to the body’s reduced white blood cell count and therefore are often in need of antibiotic treatment. With more antimicrobial resistant strains appearing, these patients now require less common and more expensive, or even a combination of, antibiotics. Both scenarios can bring the risk of more severe side effects for the patient.

Practical steps you can take

Avoid taking antibiotics for non-serious conditions like a cough or a cold. If they last three weeks or more, see your doctor (and if they resemble Covid symptoms, follow the guidelines).

University of Oxford researchers found that honey can be a more effective treatment than antibiotics, or even over-the-counter medications, for coughs or a sore throat.

This is especially true in cases where the cause is viral. The group suggested that doctors could prescribe honey to patients when they know that antibiotics are unsuitable.

Finish your course! Stopping treatment before the course is finished can help any remaining bacteria learn how to resist the medicine. Finish your prescription, even if you are feeling better.

Covid-19 has taught the world not to take good health for granted, and that individual action can have an effect on the health of wider society. If we act responsibly now when it comes to antibiotics, we will safeguard our future health.

Remember, if you or anyone in your household is displaying symptoms such as a new, continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste, you are eligible for a Covid-19 test. Visit nhsinform.scot for more details.