Doctors warn against unnecessary usage of antibiotics

HYDERABAD: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) standing committee on anti-microbial resistance said that there was an increase in the number of patients with symptoms of fever and cough which is common in the season because of influenza and other viruses.

According to the IMA doctors, the common symptoms of seasonal flu were cough, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, fever, body ache and diarrhoea. The infection usually lasts for five to seven days, with fever subsiding after three days. The cough can persist up to three weeks.

As per the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), most of the cases were of H3N2 influenza virus which occurs in the people of the age group of above 50 years and below 15 years, with patients developing upper respiratory infections with fever. The infections are mostly triggered by air pollution.

Expressing concern over the misuse of antibiotics, doctors have advised people not to resort to antibiotic treatment based only on the symptoms.

Antibiotics like azithromycin and amoxiclav are commonly consumed by patients without medical advice, which results in germs developing resistance to antibiotics.

Several other antibiotics the doctors said are being misused and are developing resistance among patients, which are not needed but prescribed by doctors.

The doctors stressed that it was necessary to diagnose if the infection was bacterial or not before the antibiotics were prescribed. As preventive measures for infections, doctors advised to avoid crowded places, practice good hand and respiratory hygiene and get vaccinated.