(HealthDayNews) -- Bacteria have shown a remarkable ability to mutate and gain immunity to drugs designed to kill them.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic overuse is a big part of the problem.
Here's how you can prevent antibiotic-resistant infections:
- When prescribed an antibiotic, ask your doctor whether it's likely to help your illness, and ask what else you can do to feel better sooner.
- Don't take an antibiotic for a viral infection like a cold or the flu. Antibiotics don't affect viruses.
- Don't save some of your antibiotic for the next time you get sick. Always take all of the antibiotic you're prescribed, even if you feel better.
- Take an antibiotic exactly as your doctor tells you.
- Don't take an antibiotic that's prescribed for someone else.
