Antibiotics are an important tool for treating bacterial infections, but misuse can lead to serious health problems. According to Matt Waters, PharmD, Pharmacist at Iredell Memorial Hospital, antibiotics should only be used for bacterial infections and not for viral illnesses like the common cold or flu. “Viruses are a separate infection that antibiotics are not designed to target,” Waters said. “A common misconception is that, when you don’t feel well, you should be prescribed an antibiotic. This can actually do more harm than good. Most of the time, viruses have to run their course, and that’s not what somebody wants to hear when they don’t feel well.”
Waters explained that antibiotics are usually given as a series of doses and it is important for patients to complete the entire course even if they start feeling better before finishing all the medication. He compared stopping early to pulling just the top off a weed while leaving the root behind: “A good way to describe it is like pulling a weed out of the garden. If you pull the top of the weed, it looks better and you think you got rid of the weed, but the root is still there.” Failing to finish antibiotics may allow bacteria to survive and cause reinfection.
He also noted that bacteria can adapt if antibiotics are not taken as directed: “Bacteria are trying to survive just like we are. They will develop a way around the antibiotic if you don’t take it as prescribed.”
Antibiotic resistance has become a widespread problem as bacteria evolve ways to resist treatment. These resistant strains can spread from person to person and make infections harder and more expensive to treat. Waters emphasized following healthcare providers’ instructions on dosage and duration: “An example of this is vancomycin which is a common IV antibiotic we use at the hospital, but there’s also an oral vancomycin that’s not absorbed from the stomach. The oral route is usually what we prescribe for C Diff because it sits in the stomach and doesn’t go out to the rest of the body.”
Healthcare workers promote antimicrobial stewardship by ensuring antibiotics are used appropriately—giving patients the right drug for the right reason and making sure prescriptions are followed correctly.
Good hygiene practices help prevent bacterial infections from spreading. For example, proper handwashing with soap and water is especially important after contact with infections such as C Diff (Clostridioides difficile), which causes gastrointestinal illness. Waters advised thorough handwashing by singing songs like “Happy Birthday” twice while scrubbing all parts of hands and wrists; if soap isn’t available, he recommended using 70% alcohol-based sanitizer: “Don’t be conservative with hand sanitizer. Lather the hands and cover them.”
Patients should inform healthcare providers about any medication sensitivities since antibiotics can cause side effects or allergic reactions.
Waters concluded by urging people: Be wise. Take your antibiotics as prescribed.
