Newsletter Wellness : Health-Care "Nourish n Flourish" : Keep the momentum going to combat antimicrobial resistance

The Mission Continues: What Are You Doing to Improve Antibiotic and Antifungal Use?

Thank you for supporting U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW). Even though USAAW just ended, our work to improve antibiotic and antifungal prescribing and use doesn’t stop here. We need your help to keep the momentum going!

Why it matters.

CDC recently published a paper showing clinician antibiotic prescribing behavior varies by patient’s race and ethnicity, sex, age, socioeconomic factors, geography, clinician’s age and specialty, and healthcare setting.

CDC is prioritizing reducing health inequities. Health inequities resulting from less-than-optimal antibiotic or antifungal prescribing practices may impact health outcomes. More research is needed to fully understand potential disparities related to antimicrobial resistance (AR), so we can take further action to reduce the impact AR has on our health.

Antimicrobial-resistant infections are one of the biggest public health challenges of our time. Each year in the United States, at least 2.8 million people get an antimicrobial-resistant infection, and more than 35,000 people die.

Any time antibiotic and antifungal drugs are used to treat an infection, they can cause side effects and contribute to the development of AR.

Antimicrobial resistance has been identified in all regions of the world and can rapidly spread. Factors such as access to clean water and adequate sanitation, vaccination coverage, and access to quality health care can impact the spread of antimicrobial resistance and the number of infections worldwide.

From travelers, animal owners, and caregivers to patients and healthcare providers, we all have a role to play to combat antimicrobial resistance.

What can you do with your family to reduce your risk of infections and combat antimicrobial resistance?

Ask your healthcare provider or veterinarian about the best treatment when you, your family, or an animal is sick. Antibiotics and antifungals aren’t always the answer.
Keep your hands clean by washing or using hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to help stop germs from spreading.
Stay up to date on recommended vaccines to help prevent infections, slow antimicrobial resistance, and reduce antibiotic and antifungal use.
Prepare food safely to avoid foodborne infections. Clean your hands, utensils, and surfaces. Separate raw meat from other foods. Cook foods to safe temperatures. Chill foods promptly.
Choose safer sexual activities and use condoms the right way from start to finish to lower your risk of getting a drug-resistant sexually transmitted infection.

What can healthcare providers do to improve antibiotic or antifungal use and prescribing and reduce infections to combat antimicrobial resistance?

Follow infection prevention and control guidelines, including screening at-risk patients when indicated.
Improve antibiotic and antifungal prescribing by following clinical and treatment guidelines.
Educate patients on ways to prevent spread of germs and infections.
Be aware of infections and AR trends in your facility and community.
Inform patients and families if they have an antimicrobial-resistant infection, as well as sexual partners when appropriate.
Know when to report cases and submit resistant isolates to the health department to identify unusual resistance or treatment failures.
Ensure your patients receive recommended vaccines.
Talk to your patients and their families about preventing infections, keeping scrapes and wounds clean, managing chronic conditions, seeking medical care when an infection is not getting better, and understanding when antibiotics and antifungals are needed.

Check out some of the resources we shared during USAAW!

Heath Equity and Antimicrobial Resistance article and factsheet.
Be Antibiotics Aware educational materials for patients/families and healthcare professionals. You can order FREE print resources by calling 1-800-CDC-INFO or visiting CDC Publications on Demand. Select “Antibiotic Use” from the Program drop-down menu and click “Apply” to view all available publications.
Antibiotic Stewardship Resource Bundles for healthcare professionals, partner organizations, health departments, and professional societies.
New Safe Healthcare blogs on infection control practices in Ethiopia, antibiotic allergy stewardship, and supporting Argentina’s new antimicrobial resistance law.

Thank you, again, for participating in this important week. We look forward to continuing this important work with you to raise awareness about appropriate antibiotic and antifungal prescribing and use, and the threat of antimicrobial resistance. Together, we can combat antimicrobial resistance.