Take the Antibiotics Quiz
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. 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 major category
of antibiotics is "broad-spectrum." These antibiotics are used to treat more serious
infections that don't respond to the narrow-spectrum type. Unfortunately, more and
more doctors 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 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 will develop resistance to the antibiotic. The next time you
take the antibiotic, the bacteria will not be killed by it. They can then grow in
number and cause your illness to come back. They can pass on their medicine resistance
to the next generation of bacteria.
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
would make up only part of a dose. This would not be enough to fight off a bacterial
infection and could create bacterial resistance. Antibiotics also don't work as they
should (expire) after a time. The antibiotic you stored on your shelf may have expired.
More important, your current illness may not be caused by bacteria. This would make
the antibiotics useless. Never share antibiotics. 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 (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. 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. 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.
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