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Antibiotic resistance

What can the public do?


People prescribed antibiotics should complete the full course of the medicine. Individuals who stop taking the antibiotics once the symptoms have lessened but before they have finished their complete course of medication often have not killed all the bacteria. Surviving bacteria can cause a reinfection, often with increased resistance to the antibiotic used in the attempt to control them.

Many common diseases are caused by viruses against which antibiotics, and most medicines, are ineffective. Prescribing and taking antibiotics in these instances increase the exposure of bacteria to antibiotics and may unnecessarily increase resistance to antibiotics.

Go to: Prescribing of antibiotics

Go to: Am I at risk?

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