Antibiotic Use
Colds and flu are caused by viruses. Viruses are a type of tiny organism that can enter our bodies and cause illness. When you have a cold, you may sneeze and have a blocked or runny nose, a sore throat and a cough. Colds rarely cause serious harm, but they can still make you feel unwell. Colds usually get better in 7–10 days, but the cough can last up to 3 weeks. Influenza, commonly known as ‘the flu’ is different to a cold although both are caused by viruses. Flu symptoms usually start suddenly with a high fever and you may feel unwell and need to rest. You may have a dry cough, shivering, sweating and severe muscle aches.
Antibiotics are medicines used to treat diseases and infections caused by bacteria. Bacteria are another type of tiny organism that can cause diseases such as pneumonia or skin infections. These diseases are treated with antibiotics. They interfere with the growth and function of bacteria, but have no affect viruses or other micro-organisms. Therefore, not all illness and disease can be treated with an antibiotic. Antibiotics kill bacteria. They do not kill viruses.
Many people who have a cold or the flu think that antibiotics will help them get better faster. This is not true. Antibiotics do not kill viruses so will have no effect on colds or the flu. They only work on infections caused by bacteria and will not help you recover from a viral infection. Your body’s immune system can clear the viral infection causing the cold and flu without antibiotics. In some cases, antibiotics may even make symptoms worse, as some people develop side effects such as diarrhoea, feeling sick or a rash. To avoid the risk of serious complications from the flu, such as pneumonia, a yearly flu vaccination is recommended for certain groups in the community.
If you use antibiotics when you don’t need to, such as treating colds and flu, it could make the antibiotic less effective when they are needed. This is called antibiotic resistance. When bacteria become antibiotic resistant, the antibiotic will no longer work against that infection. This can make diseases caused by bacteria difficult to treat, last for a long time and spread to other people. According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic resistance is the third biggest threat to human health. Therefore, it is very important to only use antibiotics to treat diseases caused by bacteria. Do not expect doctors to prescribe antibiotics for viral illnesses such as colds and flu. This will encourage the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
There are illnesses that need to be treated with antibiotics. Pneumonia is a serious lung infection that can be caused by bacteria. Antibiotics are sometimes needed to treat pneumonia caused by bacteria. World Pneumonia Day is on November 12 and it aims to raise awareness of pneumonia, promote prevention and treatment, and generate action to fight the illness.
If you have a cold or the flu, speak with our local pharmacists. Pharmacists are medicines experts. Our pharmacists can give you detailed information about colds and flu and suggest treatment options. Self Care Fact Cards about Cold and flu and Antibiotics are available from our Pharmacy.
Reproduced from PSA Health Column 4/11/15
