Misusing or overusing antibiotics is harmful. Antibiotics are not effective for colds and other viral illnesses and could have dangerous side effects. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics help create bacteria that are harder to kill because they have changed to become resistant to antibiotics. These bacteria may infect you, your family, or others.

What could be a misuse of antibiotics?

[1] Using antibiotics to treat colds or flu.

[2] Using antibiotics without a prescription or recommendation from a certified healthcare worker, or asking for antibiotics against a healthcare worker’s recommendation.

[3] Not finishing a prescribed course of antibiotics.

[4] Sharing antibiotics with others.

[5] Using leftover antibiotics.

What should you do?

[1] Don’t use antibiotics to treat colds or flu.

[2] Use antibiotics only if prescribed or recommended by a certified healthcare worker. To be certain, ask “Are antibiotics recommended for this condition?”

[3] Always finish the full course of prescribed antibiotics, even if you feel better.

[4] Don’t share antibiotics with others.

[5] Don’t use leftover antibiotics. 

Common examples of antibiotic misuse.

[1] Would it better if I take an antibiotic, just in case?

Answer: Wrong. Viruses, not bacteria, cause common colds and flu. Bacteria do not cause most acute diarrheal diseases. Taking antibiotics unless recommended by a certified healthcare worker puts you at risk of drug side effects and helps create hard-to-kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may infect you, your family, or others causing an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection.

[2] I took antibiotics for a common cold last time, and I felt better quickly. I plan to take antibiotics next time I have a cold.

Answer: Wrong. Viruses cause common colds and flu, and most people recover in 7-10 days. You would have felt better even without taking antibiotics. Antibiotics do not work against viruses and do not make you feel better or get you back to work faster.

[3] I took this antibiotic last time, with no side effects. So, I won’t have side effects this time, right?

Answer: Wrong. Even if you did not have a side effect last time you took antibiotics, you could get one the next time. Repeated use of antibiotics can increase the risk of some side effects, including diarrhoea and yeast infections.

[4] Even if bacteria in my body become resistant to one antibiotic, I can always buy a ‘stronger’ antibiotic next time that that bacterium infects me.

Answer: Wrong. Many bacteria are now resistant to multiple antibiotics. Some bacterial infections can’t be treated with any of our current antibiotics. The misuse and overuse of antibiotics increase everyone’s risk of being infected with bacteria resistant to all our available drugs.

[5] Even if the bacteria in my body become antibiotic-resistant and infect me, it’s only me and I am not causing anyone else problems or harm. 

Answer: Wrong. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria that developed in your body can harm you and then spread to your family, the environment, and to others. Do remember that you are not the one who is resistant to the drug. It’s the bacteria that are resistant to the drug. Those drug-resistant bacteria can spread and infect other people. Therefore, the misuse of antibiotics can harm everyone. 

Check out these videos about antibiotic misuse: