Antibiotics are medications that are used to treat bacterial infections. They do not work against viruses, and influenza B is caused by a virus. Therefore, they are not used to treat influenza B.
When a patient presents with symptoms of influenza B, the doctor will typically use antiviral medications to treat the infection. These medications work by targeting the virus directly, rather than the body's response to it, as antibiotics do with bacterial infections. Examples of antivirals that can be used to treat influenza B include oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza).
In some cases, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics in addition to antivirals to treat influenza B if they suspect that a bacterial infection has developed as a result of the virus. This is known as a secondary infection, and can occur when the body's immune system is weakened by the initial virus. In these cases, the antibiotics can help to fight the secondary infection while the antivirals continue to target the virus.
In summary, antibiotic use does not apply to influenza B. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, so they cannot be used to treat the infection itself. However, they may be used in addition to antivirals if a secondary bacterial infection develops as a result of the virus.