Do antibiotics help with colds?

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During the cold epidemic, people rush to stock up on antibiotics. However, if they are used incorrectly, they can be harmful to health. In this article, we will find out whether antibiotics are needed for colds, why they are prescribed for ARVI and other viral infections, and why self-medication is dangerous.

During the cold epidemic, people rush to stock up on antibiotics. However, if they are used incorrectly, they can be harmful to health. In this article, we will find out whether antibiotics help with colds, why they are prescribed for ARVI and other viral infections , and why self-medication is dangerous.

How Antibiotics Work

Antibiotics are antibacterial drugs. They affect the metabolic processes of bacteria and disrupt protein synthesis. This prevents reproduction and stops the growth of the colony (bacteriostatic effect) or leads to the death of the pathogenic microbe (bactericidal effect).

Do antibiotics help with colds?

In medicine, a cold most often refers to acute respiratory viral infections or ARVI — respiratory diseases caused by viruses. Pathogenic viruses are fundamentally different from bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. They are acellular entities that are not capable of carrying out metabolism or reproducing on their own.

A virus is an absolute parasite: it uses the host cells for all its vital processes. Outside a living organism, it is a collection of crystals consisting of protein molecules that show no signs of vital activity. And when the viral part (virion) penetrates a living cell, it begins to replicate, that is, to reproduce many copies of itself.

Since the virus does not synthesize protein on its own, the antibiotic has no effect on it. Therefore, using antibacterial drugs for uncomplicated viral infections is useless. In such cases, antiviral agents are effective – their active substances prevent the virus from penetrating the cell and replicating.

When to take antibiotics for a cold

If antibiotics do not help against viruses, why do doctors prescribe them? Such a prescription is justified if:

  • The cold is of bacterial origin, for example, the patient has streptococcal sore throat 1 .
  • Both viruses and bacteria are involved in the infection at the same time – this is called a mixed infection.
  • A bacterial infection joins the disease caused by a virus. This process is called superinfection. The protective barrier of the affected tissues is weakened, and they become vulnerable even to opportunistic microbes that are safe for a healthy person. This is a common complication of the common cold – it develops in 4-66% of cases 2 .

To accurately identify the pathogen, laboratory tests must be performed: PCR analysis and bacteriological culture. But they take time, and treatment is usually needed now. Therefore, patients with mild ARVI are prescribed antiviral drugs and local antiseptics that act on all microbes, without tests.

If the patient has purulent discharge or the condition has improved and then worsened again, then he needs antibacterial agents. Without tests, only local forms of antibiotics can be used – in nasal drops, sprays.

According to the clinical recommendations of the Ministry of Health, antibiotics for acute respiratory viral infections are prescribed systemically (in the form of tablets, suspensions, injections) only in the following cases:

  • Development of acute tonsillitis against the background of a severe or moderate cold.
  • Accompanying sinusitis , laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis. If the infection is mild, then even if it spreads beyond the upper respiratory tract, it is not recommended to use antibiotics earlier than 10-14 days.
  • Development of pneumonia .

In all these cases, it is recommended to first refer the patient for testing to confirm a bacterial infection and select the most effective antibiotic 3 .

How to take antibiotics correctly

To recover quickly and not harm your body, take antibiotics correctly:

  • Buy the drug prescribed by your doctor at the pharmacy. The prescription usually specifies the active ingredient, but if the doctor recommends a certain trade name, it is worth listening to the advice. Not all drugs with one active ingredient act the same way – it depends on the quality of the raw materials, compliance with the production technology, auxiliary components.
  • Follow the dosage and intervals specified in the prescription or prescription sheet, even if they differ from the instructions in the annotation to the drug. The fact is that the instructions provide average values, and the doctor selects the regimen and doses individually, based on your health. If you take an antibiotic more often or more than necessary, this will increase the risk of unwanted side effects. If you reduce the dose or forget to take the medicine on time, the bacteria will adapt, and the treatment will be useless – this antibiotic will have to be replaced with another.
  • Take the medicine at regular intervals. If the doctor has recommended taking the pills three times a day, then they should be taken every 8 hours, not at breakfast, lunch and dinner with a long break at night.
  • Ask your doctor or read the instructions on what time to take the antibiotic. Some medications should be taken before meals – they are poorly absorbed into the blood on a full stomach. Others, on the contrary, should be taken after meals – this will prevent side effects from the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Wash down the medicine with plain water, unless otherwise stated in the instructions. Juice, tea, coffee, mineral water can reduce the effectiveness of the antibiotic. And their combination will create an environment that irritates the mucous membrane of the digestive tract.
  • Do not divide or crush the tablet before taking it, do not pour the powder out of the capsule. The protective film prevents the destruction of the active substance by caustic gastric juice. If you have difficulty swallowing a large tablet, you can buy the same antibiotic in a form for resorption or suspension. It is worth remembering that such forms contain more auxiliary components that can cause allergies or increase blood glucose levels in diabetics.
  • Avoid alcohol during treatment. Many medications interact poorly with alcohol, even if you drink it much later or earlier than the medication.
  • Take care of your digestive organs and kidneys. Taking medications creates an additional burden on the gastrointestinal tract, so during the treatment period, try not to overeat, do not eat a lot of fried, fatty, smoked foods. Replace fast food with home-cooked food.
  • Do not stop taking the antibiotic if you feel better. To completely defeat the infection, you need to take the antimicrobial drug for as long as your doctor prescribed.

If the condition does not improve or even worsens within three days of antibiotic therapy, consult a doctor, but do not change the drug on your own. You should seek medical help immediately if a skin rash, bowel disorder, headache, swelling or other side effects appear during antibiotic therapy.

What antibiotics to take for ARVI

An antibacterial agent for ARVI is prescribed by a physician – a therapist, otolaryngologist, or pulmonologist.

It is better to select a drug based on the results of the analysis. The best way to find out which antibiotic the infectious agent is most sensitive to is to do a bacterial culture. The downside of this analysis is the long wait: usually the results are ready only after 3-7 days. PCR is prepared much faster – from 24 hours, but the analysis does not show the sensitivity of a specific infectious agent to drugs.

If it is impossible to perform the analysis or there is no time to wait a long time for the results, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic, focusing on the most likely pathogens for a given localization of the infection.

Groups of antibiotics that are most often used for ARVI 6 :

  • Semi-synthetic penicillins. For mild acute bacterial infections, amoxicillin is used; for moderate and chronic infections, amoxicillin/clavulanate is used.
  • Cephalosporins of the third and fourth generations – ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefoperazone, cefepime – are used for chronic moderate and purulent infections.
  • Macrolides – azithromycin, clarithromycin. They are used for allergies to penicillins.
  • Fluoroquinolones of the III-IV generation – levofloxacin, moxifloxacin. They replace penicillin antibiotics in case of ineffectiveness.

Most drugs are produced in the form of tablets (capsules), powders for suspensions and injections. In outpatient practice, tablets and suspensions are more often used.

Why self-medication is dangerous

Irrational antibiotic treatment can be harmful to health:

  • Uncontrolled use of antibiotics increases resistance of pathogenic microbes to them. If you abuse such drugs for minor infections, they are highly unlikely to help in the case of a serious illness.
  • Antibiotics often cause allergic reactions, including Quincke’s edema.
  • A medicine that you take without your doctor’s knowledge, in combination with medications prescribed by your doctor, may give an unpredictable result.
  • Antibacterial drugs also kill the body’s beneficial microflora, which can lead to digestive disorders and gynecological inflammation.
  • An additional unnecessary drug increases the load on the body as a whole and delays recovery.

Is it possible to take antibiotics for prevention 7

Antibacterial drugs are prescribed only if there are clear indications for their use – that is, if a bacterial infection is confirmed. Accordingly, they act only on a specific pathogen or group of pathogens, for example, streptococci and staphylococci.

In case of ARVI, such medications are useless. They do not act on viruses and do not prevent the development of bacterial complications. Moreover, due to the suppression of normal bacterial flora, the risk of reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms increases.

Antibiotics also put unnecessary strain on the liver and other organs and complicate the work of the immune system, which fights the virus. All this can slow down recovery and cause complications of ARVI.

How to Avoid Taking Antibiotics

Bacterial infection requiring antibiotic treatment is a common complication of viral infections.

The less the tissue and immune system are depleted by the virus, the lower the risk of such a scenario developing. Start taking antiviral drugs from the first symptoms of ARVI . Specific antiviral agents that act directly on the virus are especially effective.

To prevent the development of a bacterial infection during ARVI, it is also important to facilitate nasal breathing and prevent stagnation of sputum. To do this, drip vasoconstrictor drugs into the nose. If sputum separation is poor, drink sputum thinning and expectorating agents, do inhalations.

Treat viral infections promptly, clear nasal congestion, and ease coughing – this helps many people avoid taking antibiotics.

Historical background

In the mid-20th century, antibiotics revolutionized medicine. Translated from Greek, their name means “against life” (“anti” and “bios”), but they only destroy bacteria. Over the course of their existence, they have saved millions of human lives.

Thanks to antibiotics, people:

  • significantly reduced maternal and child mortality rates in obstetrics, and later successfully introduced assisted reproductive technologies (IVF and others);
  • were able to cure previously incurable fatal and crippling diseases: tuberculosis, leprosy, syphilis and others;
  • learned to perform the most complex operations without fear of getting practically inevitable purulent-inflammatory complications.

The emergence of the first antibacterial drugs

The Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming is considered the “father” of antibiotics. During his experiments, he noticed that if you place different cultures of microbes next to each other, some begin to actively destroy others. In particular, Penicillium notatum mold fungi, accidentally found in a Petri dish with staphylococcus and streptococcus cultures, stopped the growth of these harmful bacteria.

The scientist began to study mold and in 1929 isolated the first antimicrobial substance from it – penicillin. Animal experiments showed encouraging results. Fleming’s assistant, who fell ill with purulent sinusitis, voluntarily tested the drug on himself and quickly felt a significant improvement in his health. However, the scientist failed to develop technology for industrial production of the antibiotic.

This was done by pathologist Howard Florey and biochemist Ernst Chain. In early 1941, Florey managed to interest industrialists and the US government in producing the new drug. By the end of 1942, the first large batch was released, marking the beginning of the era of antibiotics. Ten years later, these drugs became available everywhere, thanks to a significant reduction in the cost of technology and the launch of new production facilities.

The world highly appreciated the merits of scientists: in 1945, Fleming, Florey and Chain were awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery of penicillin and its therapeutic effect against infections. In 1952, the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the anti-tuberculosis antibiotic streptomycin was awarded to the American microbiologist (formerly our compatriot) Selman Waksman. 9

Modern realities

Today in Russia, about 30 groups of antibiotics are actively used, which include drugs of different origins:

  • Natural (biosynthetic) – obtained from fungi or bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
  • Semi-synthetic – natural substances modified by enzymatic or chemical methods. Such drugs are more effective.
  • Synthetic – created artificially in a laboratory.

There are broad-spectrum antibiotics that act on many types of bacteria, and narrow-spectrum antibiotics that selectively destroy a small group of pathogens. Until recently, they worked almost without fail. Now antibiotic resistance is becoming a serious global problem – the resistance of microorganisms to drugs. Bacteria, like any living organism, learn to adapt to unfavorable conditions 10,1

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