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Use Antibiotics Wisely
Since the 1940's, antibiotics have been a favorite medication for treating infectious disease. The healing power of antibiotics, like penicillin, often has led to inappropriate use of these medicines. Antibiotics are effective in the treatment of bacterial infections, like strep throat and bronchitis. Antibiotics cannot cure common viral infections like cold and flu.
Studies have shown that the widespread misuse of antibiotics contributes to a serious public health issue called antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance results from bacteria that have evolved in their ability to defend against antibiotics. Your risk of getting a resistant, or even untreatable bacterial infection increases by taking antibiotics when you do not need them. These bacteria remain resistant when they are passed on from person to person. The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is central to public health concerns about this issue. Everyone can help control the problem of antibiotic resistance by following these guidelines:
- Do not pressure your physician or provider to prescribe antibiotics for a cold, flu or other viral infection.
- If your physician prescribes an antibiotic, ask why the medication is being prescribed. Make sure that it is the right recommendation to treat your specific condition.
- When antibiotics are appropriate, be sure to take all of the medicine for as long as directed. You should not keep “leftovers” to save for a future illness.
- Do not give antibiotics to children, unless prescribed by your physician or provider. Children can have up to seven to eight viral cough illnesses each year, and it's common for the cough and runny nose to last one to two weeks each time. On and off illnesses of this kind do not necessarily indicate that a child has a bacterial infection needing antibiotics.
If you want to know more about antibiotics, talk to your personal physician/provider or visit the Oregon Public Health Services Web site.
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