10 Steps to Reduce Risk for Drug Resistant Infection

January 19, 1999

1. Don't request an antibiotic -- If your doctor says you don't need an antibiotic, chances are you do not. Antibiotics are effective against bacterial infections but not viruses, which cause colds and flu.

2. Ask questions -- If you are in otherwise good health, ask your doctor if your own immune system can eventually wipe out your infection on its own, or if it is important to take an antibiotic.

3. Make sure it is strep -- If it is unclear whether you have strep throat, you should have a throat culture before being prescribed an antibiotic. If you test positive you should be treated with an antibiotic.

4. Finish your medication -- Many people stop taking antibiotics as soon as they start to feel better. But stopping your medication early allows the hardiest bacteria to survive and reproduce. Eventually, you can develop an infection resistant to many antibiotics.

5. Follow directions -- Not taking your antibiotics as prescribed or skipping doses can lead to a temporary setback in your treatment and encourage development of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

6. Don't take leftovers -- People often save unfinished antibiotics for later use. Or, they borrow a leftover drug from a family member or friend. But your illness may not be a bacterial infection. And if it is, the leftover antibiotic may not be the right type. In addition, old antibiotics can lose their effectiveness and, in some cases, even be fatal.

7. Don't take antibiotics to prevent illness -- Doing so only increases your risk for developing resistant infection. Exceptions include taking antibiotics before certain surgeries and taking antibiotics before dental work if you have a heart valve disorder.

8. Get vaccinated -- If you are 65 or older or you have a chronic illness, you should get vaccinated for pneumococcal pneumonia. It is a major cause of death in older adults.

9. Wash your hands -- Your mom was right. Frequent hand washing is the single most important thing you can do to prevent an infection.

10. Exercise, eat right, and get plenty of sleep -- They all help boost your body's immune system so you can fight off infections.