Take the Antibiotics Quiz

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.