Preventing Resistance

Two major problems contribute to the development of resistant bacteria. The first is taking antibiotics for a viral infection such as a cold or flu. Doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics even when the medication itself will do nothing to treat the illness. Taking antibiotics will not help your cold or flu symptoms, except through the placebo effect, which occurs when a patient believes that a treatment will make them better. In these cases, the medicine itself does nothing. You could get the same results from taking sugar pills.

The second is not completing a course of antibiotic medication. Many people do not like to take medication and will stop taking antibiotics as soon as they feel better, but before their prescription has run out. Even when you feel better, however, the illness causing bacteria can still be present in your system. If you stop taking antibiotics before the prescription has run out, the remaining bacteria can become resistant more quickly.