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:

  1. What are two ways antibiotics fight off bacterial infections?
  2. Why can’t antibiotics be used against viruses?
  3. What is antibiotic resistance and how can it be prevented?
  4. What was the first discovered antibiotic and who discovered it?
  5. Name two potential side effects of taking antibiotics.
  6. How does the use of antibiotics in agriculture contribute to antibiotic resistance?