The State Medical Society of Wisconsin, established in 1841, is the first and largest physician and patient advocacy association in the state, representing 8,000 member physicians and their patients. Most bacteria are helpful, but some harmful bacteria, called pathogens, can cause infections. Common bacterial infections include strep throat, urinary tract infections, and middle ear infections. Antibiotics are medicines used to treat and prevent bacterial diseases. Antibiotic medicines include penicillin, amoxicillin and erythromycin, among others.
Antibiotics can often cure bacterial infections, but they never cure viral infections.
Antibiotic resistance develops when bacteria mutate, or change their chemical structure, so they are no longer susceptible to a certain type of antibiotic. Some bacteria have mutated a great deal and are no longer susceptible to several types of antibiotics. There are antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Wisconsin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of pneumococcal infections that are resistant to penicillin has increased dramatically. In 1987, less than one-half of one percent of pneumococcal infections were resistant to penicillin.