TEN TIPS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF SUPERBUGS

1 Recognise that the overuse or misuse of antibiotics is a major cause of increasing antibiotic resistance.

2 Understand that antibiotics can only cure bacterial infections, not viral infections like colds or the flu.

3 Never take leftover antibiotics that you find in your house.

4 When prescribed antibiotics, follow your doctor’s instructions and take the full course, which is usually the entire bottle.

5 Never take antibiotics prescribed to a friend just because you have the same symptoms as them.

6 Unless your symptoms are severe, take the time to have tests taken to determine the exact bacterial pathogen that’s affecting you. This will allow your doctor to prescribe a targeted antibiotic instead of a wider spectrum treatment.

7 Even if you and your doctor feel that you probably have an infection, ask about alternative treatments and remedies that might resolve the infection without the use of antibiotics.

8 Support farms and dairies that don’t use prophylactic antibiotic treatments to stave off infections among their animals. Overuse of agricultural antibiotics is one of the greatest causes of antibiotic resistance.

9 Don’t use low-level antibiotics to resolve chronic acne. Try other methods instead.

10 Healthcare professionals and hospital visitors must be vigilant about hand washing and overall sanitation, particularly when around patients who are immunocompromised.