Stranger and Scarier: Superbug Fact or Fiction?
Medically Reviewed by Carol DerSarkissian, MD on December 04, 2022
Question 1/13
What are “superbugs”?
- Germs that cause illnesses that can kill you
- Germs that can’t be killed by basic antibiotics
- Germs that multiply really fast
Question 2/13
Where are antibiotic-resistant bacteria found?
- North America and Europe
- Africa and Asia
- Pretty much everywhere
Question 3/13
About how many Americans get sick each year from bacteria that can’t be killed by basic antibiotics?
- 5,000
- 800,000
- 2 million
Question 4/13
What’s the most dangerous superbug found so far?
- Acinetobacter
- Clostridium difficile (C. diff)
- MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
Question 5/13
In the U.S., drug-resistant infections cost about this much every year:
- $15 billion
- $27 billion
- $55 billion
Question 6/13
Using hand sanitizers can spread superbugs.
- True
- False
Question 7/13
What percentage of antibiotic prescriptions aren’t really needed?
- 15%
- 30%
- 65%
Question 8/13
Which of these illnesses shouldn’t be treated with antibiotics?
- Bronchitis
- Strep throat
- Whooping cough
Question 9/13
The best thing you can do to help prevent superbugs is:
- Avoid infections
- Never take antibiotics
- Avoid vaccines
Question 10/13
This is a good way to keep drug-resistant bacteria from spreading:
- Save antibiotics for your next illness
- Skip doses so you take fewer drugs
- Take all your prescribed medications
Question 11/13
Antibiotic resistance is a natural process.
- True
- False
Question 12/13
In the U.S., farm animals get more antibiotics than people.
- True
- False
Question 13/13
When did doctors discover antibiotic resistance in bacteria?
- 1940
- 1972
- 1996