While most of the times the causative factors for a sore throat are self-limiting viral infections, sometimes bacteria like Streptococcal pharyngitis , which if left untreated can cause a series of complications such as joint problems, heart diseases, and sometimes death. Often antibiotics are overprescribed or misused by patients only because it can avoid complications. But this leads to unnecessary over usage of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in the long-term.
As a part of antibiotic awareness week, doctors in Chennai are advocating a rapid test that can be performed at the clinic before prescribing the antibiotic. Source: The Times of India Which measures do you take to avoid overprescribing of antibiotics?
