Antibiotic treatment for influenza does not affect resolution of illness, secondary visits or lost workdays.

Antibiotics are common prescribed against influenza, although no trials of their efficacy have been published. We compared clinical and societal outcomes in 701 patients (56% flu-positive) according to use of antibiotics. The median duration of illness, rate of secondary visits, and lost workdays did not differ between antibiotic and non-antibiotic treated patients. Antibiotics are unnecessary expenses in the initial treatment of influenza, as they can give potential side-effects and contribute to spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.