A medical expert says the flu season is contributing to antibiotic resistance. More from Steve Busalacchi. More from Steve Busalacchi.
Antibiotics kill bacteria that cause such ailments as ear infections and strep throat.
Doctor Edward Belongia says antibiotics do not work against colds or the flu. Belongia, of the Marshfield Medical Research Foundation, says when flu patients take antibiotics, they are only contributing to the spread of resistant strains that once were treatable. We ve had this extremely rapid rise in the rate of resistance in a very short time. These infections can still be treated with other antibiotics, but what we re seeing more and more of is resistance to multiple different types of antibiotics. Doctor Belongia says if the trend continues, we could run out of treatments for some infections.