Health professionals have warned Australians against using misusing antibiotics to treat viral diseases as COVID and flu cases continue to rise.
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Doctors have urged Australians to consult a doctor if suffering from a viral infection such as COVID or the flu, saying antibiotics can do more harm than good if used to treat viruses.
The advice comes as Australia continues to grapple with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic with the country having recorded almost 10 million cases since 2020. Flu cases have also been climbing with the country having already exceeded Australia's five-year average.
Medical Director at telehealth service InstantScripts Dr Andrew Thompson said he had seen an increase in patients requesting antibiotics for COVID and the flu.
"Antibiotics are not a benign medication as many of us may believe," he said.
"Unfortunately, in Australia we have historically seen an over-prescription of antibiotics for the wrong reasons and this has led many Australians to believe these medicines are necessary for the treatment of common viral illnesses."
Dr Thompson said antibiotics won't respond to viral illnesses and that it was important that people knew the difference between viral and bacterial illnesses.
"A bacterial illness occurs when bacteria multiply at the site of infection, whether that be a cut in the skin, in our gut or in our airways. Examples are strep throat and urinary tract infections," Dr Thompson said.
"Viral infections are caused by viruses, much smaller particles that are not living organisms, but rather invade our own normal healthy cells and use our own machinery to reproduce. Examples are the common cold and chickenpox," he said.
Antibiotics pose health risks if misused
A report released last year by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care found that the overuse and misuse of antibiotics could result in the deaths of more than 10,000 Australians between 2015 and 2050.
The report also found that antimicrobial resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics remained an ongoing threat despite antimicrobial use decreasing.
President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia's Queensland Branch Chris Owen said antibiotics are used to treat bacterial illnesses and can cause antimicrobial resistance if used incorrectly for viral infections.
"They won't help you get any better, and if anything, you're just doing your body more harm in the long run," Mr Owen said.
"If you start using antibiotics for what they're not intended for, your body will develop a resistance," he said.
"If you do get an infection that does require antibiotics, they're not going to work as effectively as if you were more conservative with their use."
Long term health effects from misusing antibiotics can also include allergic reactions and the destruction of the body's supply of good bacteria.
This can result in a variety of issues ranging from mild gastrointestinal upset such as diarrhoea and bloating to more severe life-threatening emergencies, including cases where invasive bacteria take over once the good bacteria has been eradicated.
"Patients can often underestimate the risk that taking antibiotics can pose to their health," Dr Thompson said.
"There are immediate concerns for patient welfare in the form of allergic reactions, with antibiotics being a common cause of anaphylactic reactions in Australia."
Consult your GP or book a telehealth appointment
The Australian Government's official advice through its national virtual public health information service Healthdirect Australia has maintained that antibiotics aren't effective against viruses and can lead to antibiotic resistance.
As Australia's COVID death toll approaches 12,000, health experts have urged Australians worried about their COVID or flu infection to consult a doctor.
"Take some paracetamol, get some bed rest, some water and stay hydrated," Mr Owen said.
"If it gets to the stage where you're feeling as though it's a little overwhelming, go and see your GP or do a telehealth appointment to try and get a prescription for a specific COVID antiviral."