- Unjustified use of antibiotics to combat winter season viral infections, such as COVID-19, seasonal influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus, increases antimicrobial resistance.
- This phenomenon arises when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites stop responding to antimicrobials or antibiotics.
- If the current trend continues, it is estimated that by 2050 it will be the first cause of death in the world.
Antimicrobial resistance leads to recurrent, serious and fatal infections. It also prolongs hospital stays, increases medical expenses and makes it difficult to treat various infections. Therefore, this winter season it is important to raise awareness about the proper use of antibiotic medications to treat seasonal ailments.
Bad patient practices
In this sense, one of the main problems is the self medication. To date, it is estimated that eight out of 10 Mexicans consume medicines on their own initiative and without the recommendation of a health professional. It seems like a small detail but it is actually a large problem and in the rest of the world the situation is quite similar.
“The indiscriminate or inappropriate use of antimicrobials to treat infections without first defining their pathogenic origin can cause resistance of certain microorganisms to the action of the drug. This phenomenon is aggravated in the winter season, where between 80% and 90% of viral infections are treated with antibiotics without being justified,” said José Antonio Duarte, manager of Medical Affairs for BD Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. .
The most common infections in winter seasons
The specialist recalled that the most recurrent respiratory tract infections in the winter season are COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2); seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and those caused by Streptococcus A. They can occur in the population of any age, but people with a weak immune system, children, pregnant women, and the elderly are more susceptible to complications.
“Infections caused by SARS-CoV-2, Streptococcus A, seasonal influenza, and RSV have similar symptoms. They generally cause fever, runny nose, cough, phlegm, sore throat, ‘cut body’ and general decay. Doing a digital immunoassay antigen test can make the difference in choosing the right treatment, epidemiological follow-up, and prescribing antibiotics only if needed.”
With this, the patient receives the medicine he needs, complications are limited and the increase in antimicrobial resistance. It is a public health problem on a global scale that, if not stopped in time, can lead to the success of major surgery in the future. For example, it causes current antibiotics to stop being effective. It also causes prolonged illness and the need to use more expensive drugs due to the ineffectiveness of existing antimicrobials.
“In this context, and in order to avoid catching seasonal diseases, you must get vaccinated against influenza and complete the vaccination schedule against Covid-19. It is also recommended to avoid sudden changes in temperature, limit living with sick people and use the face mask correctly. If the infection is already installed, it is best to follow the doctor’s instructions.
Antimicrobial resistance can be prevented by taking small steps. For example, avoid self-medication, complete the treatments recommended by the doctor and do not buy antibiotics without a prescription.
Also read:
Self-medication in Mexico: 80% use this bad practice
Bad example: Influencer promotes self-medication with antibiotics
Effect of the pandemic: More and more patients prefer self-medication