CDC warns overuse of antibiotics may cause antimicrobial-resistant infections
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Centers for Disease Control is sounding the alarm for what it calls an urgent global public health threat. The CDC is worried about the dangers of antibiotic overuse which can make treating infections difficult.
Antibiotics are some of the most powerful and important drugs out there. Serving as a critical line of defense, along with antifungals in the treatment of routine infections and chronic diseases.
"These drugs save lives every single day," Michael Craig, the Director of the CDC's Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit, said.
But anytime we use antibiotics, they can cause what's called antimicrobial resistance, meaning that germs develop the ability to resist or defeat the drugs designed to kill them.
"When the germs do become resistant, the infections that they cause will become difficult and sometimes impossible to treat," Craig said.
In the United States, more than 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections happen each year, killing more than 35,000 people, according to the CDC.
"This is why we should only use antibiotics when they are necessary. If we don't, these life-saving medicines may not work for future generations," Craig said.
To protect against this resistance, doctors say to always take medication exactly as prescribed.
Don't share medication with others, or save the medicine for later and safely discard leftover pills.
"It's important to remember that we can prevent infections from happening in the first place by practicing good hygiene like hand washing and keeping your cuts covered and clean," Craig said. "You can keep yourself and your family safe from infections."
Doctors say it's important for people to remember that antibiotics are only effective for treating bacterial infections. That's not a cold or the flu, which are caused by a virus.