Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem and the main cause of this problem is misuse of antibiotics. CDC’s Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work program works to make sure antibiotics are prescribed only when they are needed and used as they should. The Get Smart program focuses on common illnesses that account for most of the antibiotic prescriptions written for children and adults in doctors’ offices and other outpatient settings.

Read this chart to know which common illnesses are usually viral or bacterial and when antibiotics are necessary.

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Target Audience: General public
In this video, Christian Lillis, son of Peggy Lillis, shares his personal story of losing his mother to an Clostridium difficile infection (C. difficile) caused by antibiotic use.
Date released: November 17, 2016

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Test your knowledge by trying your hand at this quiz about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance.

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Information for patients on antibiotic use and resistance in Spanish.

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• Get Smart About Antibiotics
• Get Smart for Healthcare in Hospitals and Long-Term Care
• Get Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work on the Farm
• Get Smart About Antibiotics Week