According to a study published on Monday, September 16, 2024, in the medical journal The Lancet, 39 million people worldwide are at risk of dying over the next 25 years due to antibiotic resistance. The discovery of antibiotics by Alexander Fleming has saved millions of lives. But today, the effectiveness of these treatments is waning, so much so that common infections can become deadly again. Here are 5 good practices to adopt to prevent this serious public health issue known as antibiotic resistance.
What are the causes of antibiotic resistance?
Antibiotic resistance began in the 1980s. Doctors discovered that overconsumption of antibiotics led to the emergence of microorganisms resistant to conventional treatments.
Antimicrobial resistance is a serious public health issue because if the antibiotics we know no longer worked, 50% of patients in intensive care would die.
In the 2000s, the famous campaign "antibiotics are not automatic" reduced the consumption of these drugs by 24%, but since then, it has risen again. Some bacteria are even becoming pan-resistant, meaning they resist all existing antibiotics!
In 2015, 158,000 people contracted a multi-resistant bacterium in France and 12,500 died from it. A study published on Monday, September 16, 2024, in the medical journal The Lancet estimates that one million deaths have been caused by antimicrobial resistance since the 1990s and that this underestimated danger could cause 39 million deaths in the next 25 years!
These figures demonstrate how important it is to raise public awareness about this issue. This is why a European Antibiotic Awareness Day is organized every year on November 18. Below, we will remind you of 5 preventive measures to slow down antibiotic resistance.
1- Do not overuse antibiotics!
As a famous awareness campaign once reminded us, "antibiotics are not automatic"! Indeed, these medications are ineffective against viral infections such as flu, rhino-pharyngitis, otitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, and bronchitis.
It is estimated that 30 to 50% of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary and that these "special" medications should be prescribed after a rapid diagnostic orientation test (Trod). Furthermore, the treatment should never be prolonged without a new medical opinion.
2- Continue your antibiotic treatment until the end.
Another common mistake is to stop antibiotic treatment as soon as one feels a little better. However, it is important to know that antibiotics first destroy the most sensitive bacteria.
If you interrupt your treatment before the end or take insufficient doses, you give free rein to the most dangerous bacteria: superbugs that will transmit their resistance to neighboring bacteria!
It is these superbugs that threaten people weakened by a chronic illness or hospitalized for a routine operation.
3- Prioritize organic milk, eggs, and meat.
Organic products guarantee animal-friendly farming conditions. This is better for animal welfare but also for human health.
The concentration of animals stressed by intensive farming conditions promotes the proliferation of microbes and forces farmers to use massive doses of antibiotics, in 80% of cases as a preventive measure.
Bacteria then become resistant in the animals' intestines. When resistant germs develop in farms, they can then be transmitted to humans, starting with the farmer himself (through direct contact) but also to the consumer (through food)! In contrast, in organic farming, farmers favor treatments with herbal medicine.
4- Return your unused medications to the pharmacy.
If you throw antibiotics in the trash or down the toilet, they may contaminate groundwater, fields, and oceans. They can come into contact with animals we consume (such as fish) and amplify the phenomenon of bacterial resistance.
The solution to avoid this pollution is simple: return the unused medications to the pharmacy so they can be safely recycled by specific channels.
5- Limit disinfectants and pesticides at home.
There is also evidence that excessive use of disinfectants and biocides, such as pesticides, contributes to making bacteria resistant. To sanitize your home, it is better to favor ecological solutions.
In the event of an epidemic, the simplest preventive measures are also the most effective:
- ventilate your home.
- wash your hands thoroughly.
Instead of buying disinfectant household products, remember that strict hand hygiene is the best defense against bacteria (including resistant bacteria) both in hospitals and at home.