When are antibiotics indicated?

Many people use antibiotics at all times. But what are antibiotics and why should you use them carefully?

Antibiotics are medicines that can cure infectious diseases caused by bacteria. They are often necessary for, for example, pneumonia, skin infections and certain venereal diseases. However, antibiotics do not work against viral infections, for example in the treatment of flu, colds, runny nose and sore throat, antibiotics do not help.

There is a simple rule: if you have a cold without fever and watery nasal discharge, antibiotics are generally not necessary. On the other hand, it is not always necessary to give antibiotics if you have a fever: a real flu, for example, is a viral infection where you can produce a high fever but where antibiotics are not useful.

On the other hand, antibiotics are sometimes necessary without a fever, for example in the case of bacterial venereal diseases such as chlamydia or gonorrhea, antibiotics are necessary even if you do not have a fever.

Source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-024-08757-z

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2021-09-29 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2026