Antibiotic resistance is a big problem.
When antibiotics don’t work, everyday infections — like strep throat and UTIs — can become “superbugs” that are serious and hard to treat. Antibiotic-resistant infections can lead to expensive doctor visits, long hospital stays, and even death.
Myth
If you take too many antibiotics, your body will become immune to them, and they won’t work on you anymore.
Why is this happening?
We’re taking antibiotics when we don’t need them. Every year, more than 150 million prescriptions are written for antibiotics in the United States. And almost a third of them aren’t actually needed.
Patients may expect to get antibiotics anytime they feel sick, even for viral illnesses like cold and flu — and doctors sometimes prescribe them without doing all the right tests.
The bottom line? We’re taking a lot of antibiotics, even when they won’t help us. And that can lead to more superbugs.
Be an Antibiotic Hero!
Make sure your doctor knows that you only want an antibiotic if you need it. That way, you can help make sure that antibiotics continue to be effective when we really need them.
True or False:
We can slow the spread of superbugs.
How Bacteria Become Antibiotic Resistant
Ever wondered where superbugs come from? Check it out:
