Antibiotics- when to use them

Question 1

What is an antibiotic?

Answer 1

A substance that kills or prevents the growth of bacteria

Question 2

Why is it important to finish a full course of antibiotics?

Answer 2

To ensure that all the bacteria is killed. If the course is not finished then the bacteria that is left can reproduce and cause an infection again.

Question 3

Why do antibiotics not work on viruses?

Answer 3

• Viruses reproduce inside your own body cells, unlike bacteria who reproduce outside them, so it is very difficult to develop a drug that doesn’t kill the body cells as well as the virus.
• Viruses also mutate very regularly so it is hard to have just one cure.

Question 4

Why should antibiotics not be used for every illness?

Answer 4

• If over-prescribed then there will be more cases of MRSA (resistant strains of bacteria meaning antibiotics will be ineffective)
• They wouldn’t work for every illness, especially viruses