Antibiotics and colds

How many times have you asked your GP for antibiotics to treat a cold? A lot of people do it, even before their GP has examined them or made a diagnosis.

This can cause major problems. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US found that many adults believe that if they are ill enough to see a doctor for a cold, they should get antibiotic treatment. The study also found that these patients are not aware of the possible consequences of taking antibiotics when they are not needed.

One of these problems is antibiotic resistance. This is when bacteria resist the effects of an antibiotic and it means that the infections they cause are more difficult to treat.

Antibiotics cannot treat the common cold virus

Antibiotics don't work on the common cold. They fight bacteria-related illnesses. Colds are caused by viruses, so antibiotics won't do you any good. They can, however, do you harm. For example, some people (about one in every 40,000) can have a potentially fatal allergic reaction.  Also, the widespread use of antibiotics has led to the growth of several strains of common bacteria that are now antibiotic-resistant. For these and other reasons, it is important to use antibiotics only in situations where they are necessary.

Antibiotics can treat bacterial infections

Antibiotics can be needed to treat infections and illnesses caused by bacteria, for example, bacterial bronchitis, pneumonia, strep throat, bacterial ear infection, or conjunctivitis.  When they are used properly, antibiotics can save people's lives.

Sometimes, a bacterial infection will follow a cold virus. Signs that you may have a bacterial infection after a cold include pain around the face and eyes, along with thick yellow or green nasal mucus. Another sign is coughing up thick yellow or green mucus. These symptoms are common with a cold, but if they last for more than a week, you may have a bacterial infection.

Only a doctor can prescribe antibiotics. So talk to your GP if you think you may need them, rather than taking a family member's leftover antibiotics from last winter's illness. But remember, you don't need them for a cold virus, and overusing antibiotics to fight colds has contributed to a global antibiotic resistance crisis.

Antibiotic resistance: a growing concern

Antibiotic resistance is one of the world's most pressing public health problems. As the Department of Health points out in the UK, the more we use an antibiotic, the more likely it is that bacterial resistance will develop. Some bacteria that cause potentially fatal infections in hospitals, such as MRSA, are resistant to several antibiotics.

When bacteria are repeatedly exposed to antibiotics (and when people do not complete their prescribed course of antibiotics) resistant bacteria are favoured. They survive and multiply.

When that happens, your illness will linger with no signs of getting better. Or it could suddenly take a turn for the worse. You may have to seek emergency medical care, even be admitted to hospital, where different antibiotics may need to be administered through your veins. People around you may also get the resistant bacteria and come down with a similar illness that is difficult to treat.