Antibiotics

Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections. They work either by killing bacteria or stopping them from multiplying. Antibiotics have saved millions of lives — but they only work on bacteria, not viruses, and overusing them is now one of the biggest global health threats because bacteria are developing resistance. India is particularly affected — antibiotic resistance is widespread, making common infections harder to treat.

What antibiotics treat

Antibiotics are prescribed for bacterial infections like:

• Strep throat (not most sore throats, which are viral)
• Bacterial pneumonia
• Urinary tract infections
• Some skin infections — boils, cellulitis
• Tuberculosis
• Typhoid
• Bacterial meningitis
• Sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhoea and chlamydia
• Wound and surgical-site infections

What antibiotics do NOT treat

• Colds, flu, most coughs
• Most sore throats (unless proven strep)
• Most ear and sinus infections (often viral)
• Viral gastroenteritis / stomach flu
• Dengue, chikungunya, COVID-19, and most other viruses

Taking antibiotics for viral infections doesn't help — it just exposes your body's bacteria to antibiotics unnecessarily, adding to resistance.

Antibiotic resistance — why it matters

When bacteria survive antibiotic exposure, they can develop resistance — the antibiotic no longer kills them. Resistant bacteria can cause infections that are harder to treat, require stronger medicines (often with more side effects), and are more expensive to manage. Severe resistant infections can be untreatable. In India, resistance is already widespread in common organisms — E. coli, Salmonella Typhi, TB, and many hospital-acquired infections.

How to use antibiotics safely

• Take antibiotics only when prescribed by a doctor — not bought over the counter, not leftover from a previous prescription
• Complete the full course, even if you feel better — stopping early lets resistant bacteria survive
• Take the right dose at the right times
• Don't share antibiotics with family or friends
• Don't demand antibiotics when your doctor says they aren't needed
• Safely dispose of unused antibiotics

Side effects

Common side effects include:

• Nausea, diarrhoea (sometimes with loose stools that persist)
• Yeast infections (thrush) — because antibiotics can affect normal body flora
• Allergic reactions — from mild rash to severe anaphylaxis (rare; dial 112 for severe reactions)
• Some antibiotics can interact with other medicines

Tell your doctor if you've had an antibiotic allergy in the past. Seek medical attention for severe diarrhoea with antibiotics (could indicate C. difficile infection), severe rash, difficulty breathing, or swelling.