A Community Program for Wise Use of Antibiotics

	Up to 80% of children with ear infections will get better without antibiotics. Wash your hands frequently and teach your children to wash their hands since most ear infections occur after a cold. More Tips

Do Bugs Need Drugs?^® is a community education program to address the problem of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance has resulted from the overuse of antibiotics, mostly for respiratory tract infections. This website provides information for healthcare professionals, the public, teachers, parents, children, daycares and assisted living sites.

Guidelines for managing respiratory tract infections, including colds, flu, sore throat, cough, ear aches, sinus infections, chest colds (bronchitis) and pneumonia can be found in the Parent and the Healthcare Professional sections.

Key messages

1. Handwashing is the best way to stop the spread of infections.
2. Not all bugs are created equal. Both bacteria and viruses cause respiratory tract infections. Antibiotics work against bacterial infections but not against viral infections such as colds and flu.
3. Antibiotic resistance is a problem. Use antibiotics wisely to prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to antibiotics.

Other Lanquages

Some of this information is provided in other languages:

	[ Arabic ]
	[ Chinese, simplified ]
	[ Chinese, traditional ]
	[ French ]
	[ Italian ]
	[ Korean ]
	[ Persian ]
	[ Punjabi ]
	[ Spanish ]
	[ Vietnamese ]