Other comfort measures may help while the cold runs its course. Be sure to notify your doctor if your infection does not improve or gets worse. Repeated or inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to resistance by killing off sensitive bacteria leaving resistant bacteria to survive and grow. To cure an infection with resistant bacteria, a stronger antibiotic must be used. If there are no stronger antibiotics left to kill resistant bacteria, they become very dangerous.
Resistant bacteria can develop in an individual, hospital or community.
Yes, as in other states, antibiotic resistant bacteria are turning up in Oklahoma. For example, Streptococcus pneumoniae is a bacteria that commonly causes ear infections in children and lung infections in adults. Penicillin used to cure this infection easily, but Oklahoma now, penicillin does not always kill this bacteria. Each of these practices can causes resistant bacteria to grow and multiply. Don't quit taking an antibiotic too early or save them for a different problem.