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Antibiotics: Use wisely, take precisely. Antibiotics: Use wisely, take precisely.
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“Antibiotics work against bacteria, but not against viruses.”

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"Antibiotics work against bacteria, but not against viruses."

“Using antibiotics properly is important for humans, animals and the environment.”

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“Using antibiotics properly is important for humans, animals and the environment.”

“Use antibiotics carefully to keep them effective for humans and animals.”

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"Use antibiotics carefully to keep them effective for humans and animals."

FAQ

ANTIBIOTICS KILL VIRUSES. True or false?

FALSE: Antibiotics are (prescription-only) medicines that prevent the growth of bacteria or kill them. Antibiotics are ineffective if the infection is caused by viruses, which is the case for colds and most gastrointestinal conditions. Antibiotics also have no effect against fungal diseases or parasitic infections such as malaria.

ANTIBIOTICS ARE EFFECTIVE AGAINST FLU AND COLDS. True or false?

FALSE: Antibiotics have no effect against viruses; colds and flu are caused by viruses.

TAKING ANTIBIOTICS WHEN IT’S NOT NECESSARY MAKES THEM INEFFECTIVE. True or false?

TRUE: An antibiotic is a weapon that becomes increasingly blunt the more it is used. That’s why you should avoid taking these precious medicines if there is no valid reason. Every time antibiotics are used, resistant bacteria can multiply, because they take advantage of the fact that the other bacteria die and make room for them.

TAKING ANTIBIOTICS MAKES YOU RESISTANT. True or false?

FALSE: It’s not people who become resistant, but bacteria. Resistant bacteria can multiply and spread from one person to another, or between humans and animals. They can make treatment of an infection more difficult, prolong it, or in the worst case, even make it impossible.

THE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS TO BOOST THE GROWTH OF ANIMALS IS PROHIBITED IN SWITZERLAND. True or false?

TRUE: In Switzerland, the Ordinance on Veterinary Medicinal Products has prohibited the use of antibiotics to accelerate growth in animals since 1999. This ban came into force in the European Union in 2006.

ANTIBIOTICS ALSO PASS INTO WATER BODIES. True or false?

True: Antibiotics are not broken down by the human body. As part of our metabolic processes, we excrete some of these into the wastewater via the toilet. And our wastewater treatment plants hardly filter out these substances at all. As a result, they pass directly into the rivers and lakes.

ANTIBIOTICS IN WASTEWATER HARM THE ENVIRONMENT. True or false?

TRUE: Antibiotics help us to fight infections. They are biologically active substances. This is desirable when combating disease; however, antibiotics have the same effect on natural organisms in water bodies. They can be especially harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms in a cocktail of chemical residues from municipal wastewater.
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Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance

What are antibiotics?
How do they work?
Why do bacteria get used to them?
Why do antibiotics lose their effectiveness?
Why is that a problem? What can we do about it?

Here we provide answers and give hints on using antibiotics correctly. As our slogan says – use wisely, take precisely.

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Additional information

Antibiotic resistance affects everyone. Here we have put together a collection of further documents and links on the subject.

 

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Antibiotic resistance in ecology and agriculture

The correct use of antibiotics is important for the environment, because antibiotics also leave their mark on nature. Resistant bacteria that cause disease can put humans and animals at risk via the environment and agriculture.

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Antibiotic resistance in animals

Sick animals are also entitled to treatment with antibiotics. But these should be used carefully and only where necessary. Your veterinary practitioner knows all about this.

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Antibiotic resistance in humans

Bacteria are able to adapt in such a way that antibiotics are no longer effective. So it is not people who become resistant, but bacteria.

Resistant bacteria can prolong or even prevent treatment. It is important for us all to be better informed about the correct use of antibiotics.

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The campaign against antibiotic resistance

This website is part of a national awareness-raising campaign to tackle antibiotic resistance. We can only use antibiotics properly if we are all well informed, so that they benefit us and save lives instead of endangering humans, animals and the environment. Our animal friends and human protagonists provide useful information and need your help. Feel free to share what you have learnt on this website. The more, the better – use wisely, take precisely!

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