Antibiotics Flashcards
1
Q
What do antibiotics do:
A
They kill bacteria in your blood, NOT VIRUSES
2
Q
What is an issue with antibiotics:
A
Over time people become resistant to them
3
Q
How do people become resistant to antibiotics:
A
A random mutation in DNA causes resistance in 1. Antibiotics come, kill most, survivors reproduce, antibiotics, most die, survivors reproduce, antibiotics, only resistant ones left, antibiotics don’t work.
4
Q
How long does the resistance process take:
A
Several months/years
5
Q
Who discovered penicillin:
A
Alexander Fleming
6
Q
How was penicillin discovered:
A
F noticed that there was some bacteria on an old agar dish that had stopped growing due to a clear ring around it. He set about extracting the clear stuff and called it penicillium. Later others perfected penicillin
