Antibiotics have been called "wonder drugs." They can treat infections that
once killed many people. But using these medicines when they shouldn’t be has let
certain
bacteria to become resistant to them. Learn more about this important issue by taking
this
quiz.
1. Antibiotics kill both viruses and bacteria that cause
illness.
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Antibiotics kill
only bacteria. They don’t work against viruses. Most common colds and sore throats
are
caused by viruses. Sometimes when you take an antibiotic, the bacteria may be resistant
or become resistant. Resistant bacteria aren't killed by the antibiotic. They continue
to cause infection. You should take antibiotics only when you need to. Each time you
take an antibiotic when you don’t need to, you raise your chances of having
drug-resistant bacteria. This can happen if you take an antibiotic for a viral
infection. It can also happen if you don’t take all of your antibiotic prescription.
Resistant bacteria have made certain infectious diseases harder to treat. These diseases
include tuberculosis, pneumonia, and meningitis. Once a certain type of bacteria is
resistant to a medicine, it can pass on that resistance to other types of bacteria.
2. Antibiotics will help you get better from a cold or the
flu.
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Viruses cause
most colds and the flu. They also cause most coughs and most sore throats. Antibiotics
can’t kill viruses. But certain antiviral medicines can work for the flu. Taking an
antibiotic for a cold or the flu will not help you get better faster. It may also
make
some bacteria resistant. This also can happen in children. Children often play together
and can easily pass resistant bacteria onto others. This makes the problem worse.
Your
healthcare provider will probably prescribe an antibiotic if you have an ear infection,
a chronic sinus infection, strep throat, or a urinary tract infection. Many of these
infections are caused by bacteria. ,
3. Many antibiotics only work against certain types of
bacteria.
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These antibiotics
are called narrow-spectrum antibiotics. The other category of antibiotics is
broad-spectrum. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are used to treat a broader number of
bacteria types. They are also used if the bacteria causing the infection are unknown.
Unfortunately, more and more healthcare providers prescribe the broad-spectrum
antibiotics for less serious infections. Experts worry that using these broad-spectrum
antibiotics too often will cause more bacterial resistance. These broad-spectrum
antibiotics may also cost more than narrow-spectrum antibiotics..
4. If you are taking antibiotics, it's OK to stop taking the
medicine when you start to feel better.
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It's important to
take all of the medicine prescribed for your illness. If you stop taking the medicine
before you have finished it all, some of the bacteria that caused your illness may
still
be in your body. If the bacteria are exposed to only a small dose of an antibiotic
or if
an antibiotic is not given enough time to kill the bacteria, the remaining bacteria
may
develop resistance to the antibiotic. The smaller amount of bacteria that remain may
also replicate and cause symptoms all over again. Resistant bacteria can also pass
from person to person. This makes infections increasingly harder to treat.
5. Keeping extra antibiotics around is a good idea in case you
need them at a future date.
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You should not
take antibiotics left over from an earlier illness. These antibiotics may not be the
correct choice for your current infection. Even if they are correct, they would likely
make up only part of a treatment course. This would not be enough to completely fight
off a bacterial infection and could create bacterial resistance. Antibiotics also
may
not work if they are old, because they go bad after a time. The antibiotic you stored
on
your shelf may have expired. More important, your current illness may not be caused
by
bacteria, but by a virus. This would make the antibiotics useless. Never share
antibiotics with others. The medicine is meant only for you and for the very specific
infection it is treating. Always check with your healthcare provider before taking
any
antibiotic.
6. Antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria.
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That's why taking
an antibiotic can cause symptoms that mean you don’t have enough good bacteria. These
symptoms include diarrhea, vaginal yeast infections, oral thrush, and an inflammation
of
the small intestine and colon (C. difficile enterocolitis). If you have any of these
side effects, be sure to tell your healthcare provider.
7. If you believe that an antibiotic would help your illness, you
should demand that your healthcare provider give you one.
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Using antibiotics
when you don’t need them helps bacteria become resistant. It may also expose you to
unnecessary side effects. Many of the prescriptions written each year aren’t needed.
That’s because they are prescribed for the common cold and other viral infections.
Ask
your healthcare provider why an antibiotic was not prescribed for your illness, but
don't demand one. Your provider is the best source of information on using antibiotics.
8. All antibiotics are safe to take during pregnancy and
breastfeeding.
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Many antibiotics
are safe to take if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. But some are not. Some of these
medicines can affect your growing fetus. Your healthcare provider will make the correct
choice of medicine for you. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you are
breastfeeding.
9. Using an antibacterial soap is a good way to keep bacteria at
bay.
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Although
hospitals and other medical facilities use antibacterial soaps, they follow strict
guidelines for their use. Some health experts worry that using antibacterial soaps
at
home can make bacteria resistant to these soaps. Studies have not proved that these
soaps work any better than ordinary soaps to get rid of bacteria. In fact, they may
be
harmful to health. Most of the soaps containing antibacterial chemicals are now being
removed from the market. Good ways to prevent infections include washing your hands
often and staying up to date on vaccines.
10. Over time, people can become resistant to bacteria.
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Many people
believe this, but it's not true. People don't become resistant to bacteria. It is
the
bacteria themselves that become resistant to antibiotics.