Learn about antibiotic resistance

Antibiotics aren't always the best answer when you or your children are sick. They cure illnesses caused by bacteria, but they don't cure illnesses caused by viruses, like the common cold.

Each time you take an antibiotic when you don’t need it, you may be helping make the bacteria resistant to the antibiotic. Resistant bacteria don't respond to the antibiotic and continue to cause infection. Because of these resistant bacteria, some diseases that used to be easy to treat are now becoming nearly impossible to treat.

For more information about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, please visit the following websites:

• Michigan Antibiotic Resistance Reduction Coalition
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention