Antibiotics
- Antibiotics are medicines that help in preventing the spread and development of bacterial infections.
- They do not work on viral infections, including the common flu and cold. This difference is crucial to understand because misuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance.
- Antibiotics work either by killing bacteria or by inhibiting their growth. They achieve this by disrupting processes that bacteria, fungi and parasites rely on to survive.
- Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic, penicillin, in 1928. More antibiotics have since been developed, each with their particular uses and levels of effectiveness.
- Antibiotics can have side effects, which may include nausea, diarrhoea, and stomach pain. Health professionals always consider the potential benefits and risks before prescribing them.
- Bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics, a significant global health problem today. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria mutate in the presence of an antibiotic, creating resistant strains that can multiply and spread.
- To prevent antibiotic resistance, it’s vital to only use antibiotics when necessary and prescribed by a health professional, finish the course provided, and never share antibiotics with others.
- Antibiotics used in farming and agriculture can also contribute to antibiotic resistance. As such, there are moves to reduce antibiotic use in these industries.
Test Your Knowledge Questions:
- What are two ways antibiotics fight off bacterial infections?
- Why can’t antibiotics be used against viruses?
- What is antibiotic resistance and how can it be prevented?
- What was the first discovered antibiotic and who discovered it?
- Name two potential side effects of taking antibiotics.
- How does the use of antibiotics in agriculture contribute to antibiotic resistance?