| ANTIBIOTICS MISUSE |
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
SURELY THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER ANTIBIOTICS THAT CAN BE USED INSTEAD?
WHY IS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE A PROBLEM NOW?
SO WHAT CAN WE DO?
HOW CAN WE DO THAT?
HOW DO I KNOW IF IT IS A VIRAL INFECTION?
BUT COLDS ALWAYS GO TO MY CHEST. SURELY I NEED AN ANTIBIOTIC THEN?
HOW WILL I GET BETTER QUICKLY IF ANTIBIOTICS ARE NOT THE ANSWER?
MY CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS GETTING INFECTIONS. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
SO WHEN ARE ANTIBIOTICS THE ANSWER? WHEN MIGHT I NEED AN ANTIBIOTIC?
IF I AM PRESCRIBED ANTIBIOTICS, SHOULD I STOP TAKING THEM AS SOON AS FEEL BETTER?
Taken from the leaflet: Antibiotics - Don't wear me out.'
Over the last few months there have been a lot of TV and newspaper reports about MMR vaccine. This leaflet tries to give you the facts behind the headlines. If you feel you need more information please talk to your GP, Health Visitor, or Practice Nurse.
What is MMR?
Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) has been reported very rarely after immunmisation (about one case in every million immunisations), but the risk of children developing encephalitis after the measles immunisation is no higher than the risk of children developing encephalitis without the vaccine.
The risk of the diseases are far greater than any risks from MMR. Long-term follow-up of children who have had measles vaccine shows that they had fewer hospital admissions than unimmunised children.
What about reports of links between measles, MMR and Crohns disease?
What about reports of links between autism and MMR? Is this really a risk
Have children been followed up long enough after MMR to know it's safe?
Wouldn't it be better for children to have the vaccines separately?
Put bluntly, it means that antibiotics are becoming less effective at fighting infections.
Well, up to now, yes - but they may not be as effective and they may have more side effects. Eventually the bacteria will become resistant to them too.
It is becoming more common. Some bacteria are now resistant to several antibiotics; they are 'multidrug resistant'. Also we cannot be sure we will always be able to find new antibiotics to replace the old ones. In recent years fewer new antibiotics have been discovered.
We can't stop resistance occurring, but we can do a lot to slow it down and stop it spreading. We must look after the antibiotics we have by using them carefully.
By not taking antibiotics when we don't need them. We now know that many infections get better just as quickly without antibiotics - in fact, antibiotics don't work againt viruses. Remember, antibiotics are not always thhe answer.
Viral infections are much more common than bacterial infections. All colds and most coughs and sore throats are caused by viruses.
Usually not. Most colds last about 2 weeks and end with a cough and coloured sputum. You need to see your doctor though if your cough lasts more than 3 weeks, or you become very short of breath or develop chest pains, or you already have a chest complaint. You should also see your doctor if you are worried about your symptoms.
There are usually remedies you can take to help ease the symptoms - Paracetamol, for example, or a cold remedy from the chemist. Ask your pharmacist for advice.
Children do frequently get coughs and colds, especially when they start to mix with other children. Ask your pharmacist for advice. If you are particularly concerned, do still go to your doctor, but don't neccessarily expect an antibiotic to be prescribed. Your doctor may suggest an alternative treatment to help relieve their symptoms.
Your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic when you need one, for example for a kidney infection or pneumonia. Antibiotics may be lifesaving for infections such as meningitis. By not using them unnecssarily, they are more likely to work when we need them.
No. Take them as prescribed and finish the course unless your doctor or pharmacist advises otherwise. Antibiotic resistance is more likely to develop if antibiotics are taken intermittently, for example, just when you remember or in too low a dose.
Produced by the Department of Health. PO Box 777, London, SE1 6XH.
MMR IMMUNISATION UPDATE
Note:
Information from this page is taken from the leaflet entitled:
'MMR - The Facts'.
You can pick up copies at the surgery.
MMR vaccine protects your child against measles, mumps and rubella (German Measles). It is given to children at 12 to 15 months and again as a booster, before they go to school. Since MMR was introduced in the UK in 1988 the number of children catching these diseases has fallen to an all-time low.
How does MMR work?
MMR contains three separate vaccines in one injection. The vaccines work at different times. About a week to 10 days after the MMR immunisation some children become feverish, develop a measles-like rash and go off their food - as the measles part of the vaccine starts to work. About three weeks after the injection a child might occasionally get a mild form of mumps, as the mumps part of MMR kicks in. Your child may, very rarely, get a rash of small bruise like spots due to the rubella part of the immunisation about 2 weeks after the MMR. If you see spots like this, show them to your doctor.
It has been suggested that measles viruses, either from the natural disease or the vaccine, might stay in the bowel and cause a bowel disorder called Chron's Disease. Careful independent studies in this country and abroad, using the most sensitive tests, have not found measles viruses in the bowel of people with Crohn's Disease. Also, Crohn's Disease is no more common in immunised people than in people who have not been immunised. The conclusion of experts from all over the world, including the World Health Organisation, is that the evidence is firmly against and link between measles and MMR vaccines and Chrohns Disease.
No. Autism was well known long before MMR was ever used in this country. Although autism is recognised more often now than in the past., the increases were going on long before MMR was introduced. Parents often first notice signs of autism in children after their first birthday, and MMR is usually given when chilren are 12 to 15 months old, so it's possible to see how people might think there is a link with MMR. But, there is no evidence, other than coincidence, to link MMR with autism.
In the USA, MMR has been given for more than 25 years and around 200 million doses have been used. Autism and Chrohns Disease have not been linked to MMR there. In Finland, where children have been given two doses of MMR since 1982, reactions reported after MMR were followed up. There were no reports of permanent damage due to the vaccine. A special study in Finland also showed no link between MMR and autism or Chrohns Disease.
No. Giving the vaccines separatley would leave the children exposed to measles, mumps or rubella. These can be serious and even fatal. It has been said that giving the three viruses together overloads the children's immune systems. Studies show this is not the case and children's immune systems make excellent responses, protecting them against these diseases.
'MMR - The Facts'.
PLEASE VISIT THE SURGERY TO COLLECT A FULL COPY.