Special to IFN

RALEIGH — To recognize and raise awareness of safe antibiotic use, Gov. Josh Stein has proclaimed the week of November 18-24 as North Carolina Antibiotic Awareness Week. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is calling attention to the importance of correct use of antibiotics, and the threat antibiotic resistance poses to people, animals, plants and their shared environment.

“Antibiotics are valuable tools for treating infections, but overuse can contribute to antibiotic resistance,” said NCDHHS Deputy Secretary for Health, Debra Farrington. “Antibiotic resistance happens when germs develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. When this happens, these drugs become less effective at reducing illness and death from infectious diseases. For this reason, antibiotic resistance is one of the world’s most urgent public health problems.”

In the U.S., at least 28 percent of antibiotics prescribed in outpatient settings are considered unnecessary. This unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics contributes to the increase of antibiotic resistance. According to data from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic resistant bacteria infect at least 2 million people annually with at least 23,000 individuals dying as a direct result of those infections. Without action, these numbers will continue to grow.

“Antibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent public health threats we currently face. None of us want to go back to a time when common infections could not be treated,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore. “At the NCDHHS Division of Public Health, we are committed to promoting appropriate antibiotic use so we can preserve the effectiveness of these lifesaving treatments.”

Public health helps promote appropriate antibiotic use through the newly developed Adult and Pediatric Antibiotic Guidelines. Intended for health care providers and pharmacists, these guidelines outline best practices for prescribing antibiotics based on clinical evidence. Providers are also encouraged to “Be Antibiotic Aware,” by taking the Antibiotic Stewardship pledge to show support for the safe prescribing of antibiotics.

To combat the spread of antibiotic resistance, it’s important to use antibiotics correctly. Antibiotics are only effective for treating certain illnesses caused by bacteria and, when taken correctly, can prevent and treat serious infections and save lives. When taken incorrectly, antibiotics can cause harmful side effects and contribute to antibiotic resistance.

North Carolinians can help prevent antibiotic resistance and preserve the life-saving power of antibiotics by doing the following:

♦ Use antibiotics only when needed. Antibiotics do treat bacteria, such as strep throat and urinary tract infections.

♦ Antibiotics do not work to treat these common viral infections and symptoms:
   – Cold or runny nose
   – Flu (influenza)
   – COVID-19
   – Bronchitis
   – Most coughs and sore throats
   – Some ear and sinus infections
   – Stomach flu

♦ Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Complete the entire course of the antibiotic, even if symptoms disappear.

♦ Do not take someone else’s antibiotics. The antibiotic may not work and may interfere with the correct treatment.

♦ Ask a health care provider about side effects of antibiotics. If a health care professional determines that you need antibiotics, the benefits usually outweigh the risks of side effects and antibiotic resistance.

♦ Consult a doctor if you think you have a penicillin allergy. Some people report being allergic to penicillin, but common reactions to penicillin are often mistaken for an allergy.

♦ Dispose of antibiotics correctly. Safely dispose of unused antibiotics in a drug drop box.