Medical Assistant Prep / Unit 5 MAS 114 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Antibiotics Treat Bacteria
Captions available
The idea
Antibiotics treat bacterial infections; they do not treat viruses.
In practice
Penicillins such as amoxicillin were the first antibiotic class; patients sometimes ask for antibiotics for viral colds, which antibiotics cannot help.
Where people slip
Using the wrong antibiotic, or one that is not needed, can cause harm and increase bacterial resistance.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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