Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change and can fight off the antibiotic medicines that typically kill them. Antibiotic resistance greatly limits treatment options and is a worldwide health problem. Some strains of bacteria are now superbugs, which means they don’t respond to several different antibiotics.
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change so that antibiotic medicines can’t kill them or stop their growth. As a result, bacterial infections become extremely difficult to treat.
Antibiotic resistance is a type of antimicrobial resistance. Fungi, parasites and viruses can also develop drug resistance.
Your body doesn’t develop antibiotic resistance — bacteria do. When antibiotic resistance happens, fewer antibiotics are effective against a particular bacterium. Other antibiotics often help, but it is important to have as many treatment options available as possible.
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When antibiotic resistance happens, we don’t know it has happened until we treat someone. The antibiotic that had previously been successful suddenly stops working or becomes less effective. It takes time to realize what is happening, and meanwhile, you get sicker. An infection that previously could be treated at home may require a hospital admission.
Close to 3 million Americans will develop a drug-resistant infection this year. More than 35,000 of them will die.
You can find bacteria just about everywhere: in water, food and soil. Bacteria live on people’s skin (and animal fur) and inside bodies, too. Most bacteria don’t cause problems. In fact, some are beneficial. Healthy bacteria in the digestive system aid food digestion.
But some people need antibiotics to kill or stop the growth of bacteria that cause infections. Healthcare providers may prescribe antibiotics for:
These factors often contribute to antibiotic resistance:
Over the years, various strains of bacteria have adapted to the medicines that typically kill them. They can fight back against the drugs. Called superbugs, these bacteria continue multiplying and causing infections despite treatment with several different antibiotics. There’s a chance that no antibiotic will work.
Some bacterial infections with superbug status include:
Healthcare providers have limited treatment options when bacterial infections become drug resistant. The problem can lead to:
Anyone exposed to antibiotics is at risk for antibiotic resistance. Older people and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop serious bacterial infections that need antibiotic treatment. The combination puts them at higher risk for complications from antibiotic resistance.
You may be more likely to develop be impacted by antibiotic resistance if you:
If an infection shows signs of antibiotic resistance, your healthcare provider may try a different drug. The new drug may have more severe side effects, and trying a different antibiotic also raises the risk of developing resistance to that drug.
These steps may lower your risk of developing antibiotic resistance:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Bacteria that develop antibiotic resistance don’t respond to standard treatments. The result can be a bacterial infection that’s difficult to treat. Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide health problem. To help prevent drug resistance, healthcare providers prescribe antibiotics only when needed. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics are top contributors to antibiotic resistance. Be sure to follow your provider’s instructions. Take antibiotics only when necessary and exactly as prescribed.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 06/23/2021.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy