Antibiotics, first used in the 1940s, are certainly one of the greatest medical advances. While these wonderful drugs have saved countless lives, their widespread and perhaps indiscriminate use has resulted in the disturbing problem of antibiotic resistance: the spread of resistant bacteria that no longer respond to antibiotics previously known to work. Antibiotic resistance not only threatens our health, but also the environment by selectively breeding increasingly virulent bacteria. Learn more about the dangers of antibiotics overuse and how you can do your part to limit the resistance problem.

Antibiotics Kill Bacteria, Not Viruses

The first step to halting the growing problem of antibiotic resistance is to remember that antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses. While antibiotics show amazing effectiveness in the treatment of bacterial infections, viruses do not respond to antibiotics at all.

Taking antibiotics for viral illnesses, such as colds and flus, not only won't work, it also has a dangerous side effect: this practice can make these important drugs less effective in the future by encouraging antibiotic resistance - the growth of resistant bacteria that are more difficult to kill.