Antibiotic resistance

Patient Information Leaflet

• Antibiotics are used to treat or prevent some types of bacterial infection.
• They work by killing bacteria or preventing them from spreading. But they do not work for everything.
• Many mild bacterial infections get better on their own without using antibiotics.

Antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat infections

• The more antibiotics are used when they are not needed, the more likely they are to become ineffective (stop working) when they are needed for serious infections.

• Antibiotics do not work for viral infections such as colds and flu, and most coughs.

• Antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat

  • chest infections
  • ear infections in children
  • sore throats

• Take your doctor's advice on whether you need them or not.

• Antibiotic resistance is a big problem - taking antibiotics when you do not need them can mean they will not work for you in the future.

Antibiotic resistance and 'superbugs'

• The overuse of antibiotics in recent years means they are becoming less effective and has led to the emergence of "superbugs".

• These are strains of bacteria that have developed resistance to many different types of antibiotics, including:

  • MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mrsa/
  • Clostridium difficile (C. diff) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/c-difficile/
  • The bacteria that causes multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tuberculosis-tb/

• These types of infections can be serious, challenging to treat and may be a cause of morbidity and mortality.

• The biggest concern is that new types of bacteria could develop that cannot be treated with any antibiotics we have now.

• Watch the following video: "Antibiotics don't work for everything" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh1bcN2yDvs

Any further questions?

• If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Infection Control Team, on 020 7288 3679,
• You can also ask the Ward Manager to contact us.
• Additional information can be found on NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk
• The information in this leaflet has been sourced from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/antibiotics/antibiotic-antimicrobial-resistance/