Antibiotics

“Antibiotics” are a large group of drugs that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. Certain antibiotics work better than others against specific kinds of bacteria. Some bacteria have developed high levels of resistance to some of the drugs due to overuse and misuse of the antibiotic. The selection of an antibiotic should be based on the laboratory identification of the infecting bacteria. Antibiotics should be administered under the direct care of a physician and the response to the antibiotic should be monitored closely. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses.