Infection Disease doctors holding up blue and purple signs that say Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance Takes All of Us

Infection Disease doctors hold up Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance Takes All of Us

Updated November 2024

Taking or prescribing antibiotics should be considered with caution — they aren’t always the answer.

Richelle Guerrero-Wooley, MD, Alvaro Galvis, MD, PhD, and Noreen Chan Tompkins, PharmD, BCPS, APh, infectious disease clinicians at Loma Linda University Health Antimicrobial Stewardship, provide these points to remember:

Protect yourself and others through prevention techniques to reduce the spread of viruses

  • Wash hands regularly.

  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine is recommended for infants born during the RSV season, pregnant women, and older adults.

  • If you are experiencing fever, sore throat, or cough, stay home and self-quarantine.

Using antibiotics wisely is the best way to preserve their potency for future bacterial infections

  • Unnecessary use of antibiotics lessens their effectiveness.

  • Prescribe and use responsibly to ensure future generations’ access to antibiotics.

Antibiotics only treat certain bacterial infections

  • The common cold, flu, and COVID-19 are caused by viruses. Antibiotics will not help.

  • Not all cases of ear infection and sore throat require antibiotics. (And the color of mucus is not an indicator.) Speak with your physician.

  • Your physician may be able to run tests to determine if antibiotics are needed.

To help relieve a viral infection such as a cold or the flu:

  • Target symptom relief while the illness naturally runs its course.

  • Speak with a doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Antibiotics, like all medications, may create side effects

  • Complications can range from mild reactions such as nausea, rash, or diarrhea to a serious condition such as life-threatening allergic reactions and/or diarrhea called C. difficile. 

  • One in five antibiotic-related visits to an Emergency Room are due to adverse drug reactions. 

If interested in reading more, turn to reliable sources like the CDC’s Antibiotic Prescribing and Use website. To learn more about what you can do to protect yourself and your family during the flu season, visit our flu page at lluh.org/flu.