Antibiotics

Question 1

What are antibiotics?

Answer 1

Antibiotics are chemicals that kill (pathogenic) bacteria inside the body. Specific
antibiotics kill specific bacteria.

Question 2

Why do antibiotics not kill viruses?

Answer 2

They do not work against viruses because viruses live and reproduce inside cells.

Question 3

Why is it difficult for Scientists to develop drugs that kill viruses?

Answer 3

It is difficult to develop drugs that kill viruses as viruses reproduce inside cells. Therefore
it is difficult to just kill the virus and not the body’s tissues too.

Question 4

How do bacteria become resistant to certain antibiotics?

Answer 4

1. Antibiotics kill individual bacterial pathogens of the non-resistant strain.
2. Resistant/mutated pathogens survive and reproduce.
3. The population of the resistant strain of pathogens increases because they are not
   affected/killed by the antibiotic.
4. The resistant strain will then spread because people are not immune to it and there is
   no effective treatment.

Question 5

How can we reduce the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria?

Answer 5

• Do not prescribe antibiotics for mild infections because they will get better due to
the body’s normal immune system
• Do not prescribe antibiotics for viral infections / colds / flu because antibiotics do
not kill viruses
• If you do prescribe antibiotics make sure the patient finishes the full course because
any bacteria left may develop resistance, survive and reproduce rapidly (due to lack
of competition)
• Prescribe the correct antibiotic for the particular bacterial strain because routine use
would lead to an increase in resistant bacteria