Antimicrobial resistance: Prevention and risks

Resistance to antimicrobials (antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiparasitics) can make infections and illnesses more difficult to treat. Find out how you can reduce the risk of infection, longer hospital stays and expensive treatments.

On this page

• Protect yourself from infection
• Use antimicrobials responsibly
• Risks to human health
• Who is most at risk

Protect yourself from infection

Infection prevention and control practices can prevent the spread of germs. These practices are also called:

• routine practices (healthcare settings)
• public health measures (community and household settings)

Common practices include:

• staying home when you are sick
• keeping your hands clean
  • wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available
  • avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
• cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects

When feeling unwell:

• avoid handling food
• stay home until feeling better, if possible, to avoid spreading germs
• follow up with a healthcare provider if symptoms persist or worsen

These practices can also help stop the spread of antimicrobial resistance:

• Keep vaccinations up to date
• Store, handle and prepare food safely:
  • Wash your hands before and after handling food
  • Clean anything that comes into contact with food to reduce the risk of food-related illness, such as:
    • kitchen surfaces
    • utensils
    • reusable grocery bags
• Practice safer sex (some sexually transmitted infections are resistant to some antimicrobials)

Germs can spread in different ways, so use these different practices to reduce individual risk.

Learn more:

• Food safety
• Sexual health
• Vaccines and immunization
• Clean your hands to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases
• Respiratory infectious diseases: How to reduce the spread with personal protective measures

Use antimicrobials responsibly

There aren’t many new antimicrobials being developed, so it’s important to protect the ones we already have. We can do this by using them responsibly, and through proper infection prevention and control.

Not all illnesses can or should be treated with antimicrobials. Follow up with a healthcare provider when you feel sick to get an assessment, diagnosis and proper treatment.

Bring unused and expired prescription medications, over-the-counter medications and natural health products to your local pharmacist for proper disposal.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or sink.

When taking antimicrobials:

• Do not share medications with others
• Do not use medications prescribed for someone else
• Do not use leftover medications from a previous prescription
• Contact a healthcare provider if you experience a bad reaction or side effect

To use prescribed antimicrobials correctly and responsibly:

• Take antimicrobials only as directed by a healthcare provider and understand:
  • when to take them
  • how much to take
  • how many days to take them
• Finish the course as prescribed
• Know what to do if you miss a dose
• Know if there are any reasons to stop taking your medication
• Return unused medication to a pharmacy or nursing station for safe disposal
  • Your healthcare provider may ask you to do this if they advise you to stop taking the medication, such as, if a side effect occurs

Sometimes you may need a laboratory test to tell whether you have a bacterial or viral infection. Speak to a healthcare provider if you have any questions.

Learn more:

• Using medications safely
• Safe disposal of prescription drugs
• About antimicrobial resistance

Risks to human health

As resistant germs increase over time, infections and illnesses may be harder to treat. Examples include:

• infections and illnesses like:
  • pneumonia
  • infectious diarrhea
• medical procedures, such as:
  • surgeries
  • cancer treatments

This puts a greater burden on families and on the healthcare system. Resistance can lead to increased:

• human illness and death
• length of treatments
• side effects from the use of multiple medications

Learn more:

• Mary’s story: How antibiotic resistance impacts lives

Who is most at risk

Antimicrobial resistance can affect anyone. Situations that can influence the spread include:

• social, financial and healthcare system differences
• the overuse and misuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals and farming
• the ability of people, animals and other products to move around the world

Some people have a higher risk of getting infections, and so have a higher risk of antimicrobial resistance too.
Some key groups include people:

• without access to safe drinking water
• with weakened immune systems due to illness, injury or age
• with occupations that put them at a greater risk of exposure, such as:
  • farmers
  • meat processing plant workers
  • human and animal healthcare workers
• who are disproportionally affected by differences in health status or resources, such as:
  • people born outside of Canada
  • residents of long-term care facilities
  • Two-Spirit, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men

You may also be at higher risk if you live, work or spend time in:

• settings where food is not stored, handled or prepared safely
• settings with limited infection prevention and control measures
• poor housing conditions, such as those that are crowded or require major repairs
• healthcare and childcare facilities, especially if they have limited infection prevention and control measures

Learn more:

• Social determinants of health and health inequalities
• Inequalities in housing below standards in Canada (infographic)
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Antimicrobial resistance: Our role

Related links

• Pets: Healthy animals, healthy people
• Preserving antibiotics now and into the future
• Antimicrobial resistance: Awareness resources
• Pilot project to make more antimicrobials available in Canada
• AMR Awareness Canada: Webinars, social media images and resources