What are antibiotic-resistant bacteria? Antibiotics can save lives, but anytime antibiotics are used, they can lead to antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance occurs when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. If antibiotics lose their effectiveness, then we lose the ability to treat infections, like those that lead to sepsis. Bacteria, not the body, develop the ability to defeat the antibiotics designed to kill them. When bacteria become resistant, antibiotics cannot fight them, and the bacteria multiply. Some resistant bacteria can be harder to treat and can spread to other people. More than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the United States each year, and more than 35,000 people die as a result. Talk to your healthcare professional about how you can feel better when antibiotics are not needed. To learn more about antibiotic prescribing and use, visit www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use or call 1-800-CDC-INFO.