What happens if you take antibiotics for a viral infection?

Answer 1

They do not help unless they are given to treat or prevent a secondary bacterial infection, such as secondary bacterial pneumonia in the case of the flu, skin infections from scratching measles lesions, or other related secondary bacterial infections.

Antibiotics are only effective for treating or preventing bacterial infections. There is no equivalent drug for use in viral infections. Other than careful hand washing and other preventive precautions, prevention with vaccinations is the way to avoid viral infections for many of these conditions, but not all, such as the common cold which does not yet have a vaccine for prevention.*

*The viruses of the common cold mutate very quickly and easily and, before a vaccine can be developed and produced, the virus has already changed making the vaccine no longer useful before it is even put to use.

Answer 2

Antibiotics are designed to specifically target certain types of pathogenic (disease causing) microorganisms, generally a type or types of bacteria. Their mode of action involves targeting some essential growth component/process in the pathogen, either ceasing their growth or killing them off. Because this action is so specific, antibiotics have no known effect on viral infections, because viruses are inherently different to bacteria in the way they cause disease, the way the grow, the way they survive etc.

So, in terms of the infection - nothing happens, apart from taking unnecessary pills!

However, taking unnecessary antibiotics is a known way in which commensal bacteria (those that live on your body all the time without causing harm) can acquire resistance. An example of resistance caused by such misuse of antibiotics on a global scale is with MRSA (methicillin resistant S . aureus). This results in a new, more dangerous, more difficult to treat (since the bacteria can know survive in the presence of the antibiotic) strain of the bug. And since we only have a limited number of antibiotics on the market, this is of great concern to health professionals.

So in conclusion - don't take them. Not only will it have absolutely no benefit, it may actually cause harm by generating resistant bugs.

Answer 3

No antibiotic has ever helped to cure the cold. Cold or common cold is caused by virus infection. Antibiotics should not be used to treat the cold. That should be taken as crime against humanity to use antibiotics to treat the cold.

Answer 4

The virus weakens the system which leads to bacterial infection and their disagreeable symptoms, The antibiotics kill the bacteria alowing the body to heal the damage done by the infection.

Answer 5

No, antibiotics have no effect on virus. Some viral infection might be helped by antiviral drugs (i.e. Valtrex for herpes infection (virus))

Answer 6

A cold is a virus, so antibiotics will not work against it. However, if you have a secondary infection, such as pneumonia or bronchitis, antibiotics may help with that.