a patient has a cough and a fever, and she has been experiencing headaches. the patient has not eaten anything that has spoiled. she has not been bitten by any insects recently. the patients sister has similar symptoms. both of them had recently spent time with a friend who was recovering for a cold. should the doctor prescribe antibiotics??

Question

a patient has a cough and a fever, and she has been experiencing headaches. the patient has not eaten anything that has spoiled. she has not been bitten by any insects recently. the patients sister has similar symptoms. both of them had recently spent time with a friend who was recovering for a cold. should the doctor prescribe antibiotics??

a. yes, antibiotics should be prescribed because the patient likely has a bacterial infection
b. yes, antibiotics should be prescribed because the patient likely has a viral infection
c. no, antibiotics should not be prescribed because the patient likely has a viral infection
d. no, antibiotics should not be prescribed because the patient likely has a bacterial infection

Answer 1

c. no, antibiotics should not be prescribed because the patient likely has a viral infection

Since the patient and her sister both have similar symptoms after spending time with a friend recovering from a cold, it is likely that they have contracted a viral infection. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections, not viral infections. The doctor should focus on treating the symptoms and allowing the body to fight off the virus on its own.