National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Antibiotics is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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National Institutes of Health
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are powerful medicines that fight bacterial infections. Used properly, antibiotics can save lives. They either kill bacteria or keep them from reproducing. Your body's natural defenses can usually take it from there.
Antibiotics do not fight infections caused by viruses, such as
- Colds
- Flu
- Most coughs and bronchitis
- Sore throats, unless caused by strep
If a virus is making you sick, taking antibiotics may do more harm than good. Each time you take antibiotics, you increase the chances that bacteria in your body will be able to resist them. Later, you could get or spread an infection that those antibiotics cannot cure. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) causes infections that are resistant to several common antibiotics.
When you take antibiotics, follow the directions carefully. It is important to finish your medicine even if you feel better. If you stop treatment too soon, some bacteria may survive and re-infect you. Do not save antibiotics for later or use someone else's prescription.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Start Here
- Antibiotics: When They Can and Can't Help(American Academy of Family Physicians)
- Also available in Spanish
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Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
The top row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Basics
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Learn More
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Multimedia & Cool Tools
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For group Learn More
For group Multimedia & Cool Tools
The bottom row in the table of contents box contains the following groups:
Research
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Reference Shelf
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For You
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For group Research
For group Reference Shelf
For group For You
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Overviews
- Antibiotics: Misuse Puts You and Others at Risk(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Latest News
- Patient Education Helps Prevent Overuse of Antibiotics for Cough, Study Finds(01/18/2013, HealthDay)
- Health Tip: Take Antibiotics Only When Needed(01/17/2013, HealthDay)
- Unneeded Antibiotics May Lead To Diarrheal Illness, Study Finds(01/15/2013, HealthDay)
- Antibiotics Aren't Always the Answer(12/28/2012, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- More News on Antibiotics
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Related Issues
- Antibacterials in Household Products(Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics) - PDF
- Antibiotic Agents(Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics)
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Antibiotic Resistance
(Food and Drug Administration)
- Also available in Spanish
- Antibiotic Safety(Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology) - PDF
- Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea Caused by Clostridium difficile (Beyond the Basics)(UpToDate)
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Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance: Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE)(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
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Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance: Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) Frequently Asked Questions(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
- Are You Taking Medication as Prescribed?(Food and Drug Administration)
- Combating Antibiotic Resistance(Food and Drug Administration)
- Mission Critical: Preventing Antibiotic Resistance(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Penicillin Allergy(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Healthcare Settings(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus
(Healthy Roads Media)
- Also available in Spanish
- What Can Be Done about Antibiotic Resistance?(Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics)
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Health Check Tools
- Antibiotics Quiz(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Videos
- Animation of Antimicrobial Resistance(Food and Drug Administration)
- Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus(Healthy Roads Media)
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Anti-Bacterial Agents(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Antibiotic Resistance(National Institutes of Health)
- Return to top
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Anti-Bacterial Agents
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Research
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Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
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Antimicrobial Resistance(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
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Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Antibiotics as part of the management of severe acute malnutrition.
- Article: Duodenal infusion of donor feces for recurrent Clostridium difficile.
- Article: Acute otitis externa: an update.
- Antibiotics -- see more articles
- Antibiotic resistance -- see more articles
- Prophylactic use of antibiotics -- see more articles
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Dictionaries/Glossaries
- Antibiotic / Antimicrobial Resistance Glossary(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Antibiotics & Resistance: Glossary(Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics)
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Organizations
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Children
- Danger of Antibiotic Overuse(Nemours Foundation)
- Also available in Spanish
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Patient Handouts
- Central venous catheters - ports
- Also available in Spanish
- Vancomycin resistant enterococci
- Also available in Spanish
- Return to top
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You may also be interested in these related encyclopedia pages:
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
