As the flu continues to make the rounds across the state, nearly one-half of all Minnesotans believe antibiotics can be used to kill viruses, or don't know what they're used for at all, according to a new VitalSigns Survey by Allina Health System. Antibiotics are only effective in treating bacterial infections, not viruses like the flu, and that misunderstanding may explain the overuse of, and excessive demand for, antibiotics. Many medical experts maintain that the overuse of antibiotics for illness or infection not caused by bacteria is one reason for the rise in antibiotic-resistant strains of some bacterial infections.
Antibiotics are a very valuable tool for the medical community to use to care for patients.
The abuse of that tool leads to the danger of making that tool ineffective. However, with a majority not understanding the true purpose of antibiotics, that concern may not translate into practice. Eighteen percent of survey respondents said, even if told they have a virus, they ask their physician to prescribe an antibiotic just to be on the safe side. Unfortunately, I'm not certain we doctors always take the time to answer questions and educate our patients. The Allina VitalSigns Survey is a randomly selected survey of 500 Minnesotans over age 18.