How do antibiotics help us with viruses?
They do not help unless they are given to treat or prevent a secondary bacterial infection, such as secondary bacterial pneumonia in the case of the flu, skin infections from scratching measles lesions, or other related secondary bacterial infections.
Antibiotics are only effective for treating or preventing bacterial infections. There is no equivalent drug for use in viral infections. Other than careful hand washing and other preventive precautions, prevention with vaccinations is the way to avoid viral infections for many of these conditions, but not all, such as the common cold which does not yet have a vaccine for prevention.*
*The viruses of the common cold mutate very quickly and easily and, before a vaccine can be developed and produced, the virus has already changed making the vaccine no longer useful before it is even put to use.
Why do antibiotics do not help teat viral infections?
Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, they have no affect on viruses. Vaccinations treat viruses.
Are viruses treated with antibiotics?
No because antibiotics are ineffective when it comes to viruses. Viruses don't respond to them. sometimes it can help stop what pain your in, but it doesn't go away.
Would a antibiotics drug help if you had a cold?
no because antibiotics fight off viruses not colds
Why would antibiotics not help if you had a flu?
Influenza is a viral disease and antibiotics do not affect viruses, only bacteria.
Are viruses responsible for influenza?
Yes, viruses are responsible for influenza. That's why antibiotics don't help when you have the flu.
Are drugs helpful against viruses?
Some drugs (analgesics) help relieve the pain of viruses. However antibiotics cannot help viruses as they only kill bacterial infections.
Why antibiotics wont help a viral sore throat or a common cold?
Antibiotics kill bacteria. They do not kill viruses.
What are the differences between bacteria and viruses?
Bacteria: Bacteria can be killed by antibiotics. Bacteria is larger. Bacteria can reproduce from the life cycle. Viruses: Viruses cant be killed by antibiotics. Viruses are smaller than bacteria. Viruses cant reproduce without help from a host cell or organism.
What happens to viruses when you take antibiotics?
Viruses are Not killed with antibiotics need antivirus antibiotics
How do antibiotics affect viruses?
Antibiotics have a very special purpose when it comes to dealing with viruses. Antibiotics are meant to fight off viruses.
Can you take antibiotics to cure viruses?
No. Antibiotics kill bacteria which are very different from viruses.
Why antibiotics doesn't effect viruses?
Because antibiotics kill infections and viruses are not infections. Antibiotics have no effect when applied to viruses because antibiotics only effect on infections caused by bacteria (bacterium-single form). Viruses have their own "anti-virus" medicines, too. xD
Do antibiotics help in curing mumps?
Mumps is caused by a virus. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics. The word antibiotic means against (anti-) life (bio-). Viruses are not living but are infectious particles. Some times antibiotics are used because there may be another infection caused by a bacteria involved at the same time.
Why are antibiotics effective against bacteria but not viruses?
because antibiotics Kill BACTERIA only and cant kill viruses. Viruses are different pathogens.
Why do antibodies work to kill bacteria but not viruses?
Antibodies within the body fight both bacteria and viruses. Antibiotics kill bacteria and not viruses. Antibiotics do not fight viruses because viruses are not alive.
What antibiotics treat sinus congestion?
Antibiotics are used to treat infections; congestion doesn't mean you have an infection. Congestion can be a sign of a bacterial infection but may also mean you have a virus, which antibiotics won't help viruses.
Can antibiotics cure a common cold?
No, antibiotics will not even treat a cold because a cold is caused by a virus and not bacteria. Antibiotics are only effective on bacteria. Viruses cannot be 'killed' with antibiotics, and taking antibiotics will only help you kill off bacteria in your stomach and make you have diarrhea.
Will antibiotics help you recover from the flu quicker?
The flu is caused by a virus (viruses). Antibiotics ONLY treat bacterial infections. Therefore, an antibiotic will do absolutely nothing for a person with the flu.
Why don't antibiotics cure a cold?
A cold is not caused by bacteria so antibiotics don't work on it. Antibiotics do not affect viruses like the cold or flu viruses.
How do human diseases caused by bacteria and diseases caused by viruses react to antibiotics?
Disease caused by viruses cannot be cured by antibiotics. Antibiotics ONLY work on bacteria.
Which pathogens are killed and not killed by antibiotics?
Antibiotics will not work in viruses.
Why cant you use antibiotics to kill virus but bacteria can be killed by antibiotics?
Because bacteria and viruses are two completely different things. Antibiotics - as their name implies - will kill bacteria, but antibiotics simply have no effect on viruses.
What are antibiotics viruses or Monera?
Antibiotics are products made to fight bacteria. The word means anti- (against) -bio (life). Since viruses are not alive, antibiotics cannot harm them.
How does antibiotics work to kill bacteria but not viruses?
Keep in mind that a virus is not a living thing. Antibiotics interfere with metabolism and cell processes. Viruses are have no metabolism and can't be affected by antibiotics.
How are viruses cured?
Antibiotics do not kill viruses. That is why we do not get medicine for the flu.
Why do antibiotics have an effect on Swine Flu?
They do not have an effect on swine flu, but can be helpful if a secondary bacterial infection occurs with the flu or after the flu. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses. The flu is caused by viruses. Antibiotics are for treating infections by bacteria, not for treating infections by viruses.
What are the limitations of antibiotics?
Antibiotics do not destroy viruses because viruses reproduce inside the cells in you body. It is difficult to develop drugs that can destroy viruses without damaging your body cells
What if you have pneumonia and antibiotics can't help you?
Viral pneumonia is a serious condition, precisely because antibiotics do not kill viruses. The treatment is support in hospital, pulmonary therapy, and a long recovery. Good luck.
Why are antibiotics not effective for viral infections?
Because Viruses are not bacteria. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria. Antivirals target viruses.
Are viruses easily killed by drugs or an antibiotics?
The answer is no. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics. As always, do your research and you will find that the CDC agrees. [related links]
How does penicillin affect viruses?
Penicillin does not affect viruses so it is a waste of time taking it in these circumstances. It can be counter productive to use antibiotics "just in case" they help, as this is likely to increase the number of bacterial strains which adapt to become resistant to antibiotics in common use. This is how we come to have problems like MRSA and ad campaigns saying "antibiotics will not cure a cold".
Why are antibiotics ineffective against viruses?
Antibiotics are ineffective because antibiotics are only effective against living pathogens, and viruses are not considered living because they can't reproduce themselves and they do not metabolize.
What are antibiotics and what do they cure?
Antibiotics are medicines that cure infections. They have no effect on viruses.
Does azithromycin help a sore throat?
It can if the sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection. Antibiotics can help with strep throat and other bacterial sore throats, but most sore throats are caused by viruses like the cold and flu. Antibiotics do not help when the cause of the sore throat is a viral infection.
Can antibiotics work against viruses?
No. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria. Viruses are treated with a different line of drugs known as antivirals
How do human disease cause by baterica and diseases caused by viruses react to antibiotics?
Antibiotics only kill bacteria - they do nothing at all to viruses.
Why anitbiotics will not help you to get over a bout of flu?
Since the flu is a severe upper respiratory infection caused by a virus, antibiotics cannot affect them as viruses are not living and antibiotics only affect living microbes.
Why cant antibiotics be used to cure infections casued by viruses?
Because viruses are not bacteria. Antibiotics only work on bacteria. (Viruses are not actually alive . . . they enter a bacterium and take control of its function.)
Is amoxicillin good for flu?
Amoxicillin will not help the flu. Amoxicillin is for bacterial infections, and the flu is a virus. Viruses are not killed by antibiotics. If you have a bacterial infection WITH the flu, then it will help the infection, but not the flu.
Why can antibiotics treat flu-like symptoms caused by bacteria but are ineffective against flu?
Because the way antibiotics treat those symptoms is by killing the bacteria that cause them. If the symptoms are caused by viruses, then antibiotics can't help since they are not made to be able to "kill" viruses, just bacteria. Flu viruses are not really living organisms like bacteria are. So viruses must be inactivated rather than killed. Antibiotics can neither kill nor inactivate viruses. They are created to be used to kill only specific bacteria… Read More
Are cold viruses biotic or abiotic?
Cold viruses are abiotic as they lack proper cell structure. Another way of looking at it is that antibiotics can't treat cold viruses as antibiotics kill microorganisms such as bacteria.
What effects does antibiotics have on viruses Why?
attacks only bacteria most of the time not viruses
What has been developed to help fight viruses?
antibiotics help bacterial infections that could cause a virus other wise they give you can get a shot of a small amount of that virus to help build an immunity to that virus.
Is antiviral same as antibiotic?
No. Antivirals work to limit the reproduction of viruses, and antibiotics work to kill bacteria. Antivirals do not kill bacteria, and antibiotics do not kill viruses.
How does the human immune immune system function and respond to vaccines and antibiotics?
Vaccines help the body's immune system by building immunities to viruses that would otherwise find the body defenseless. About antibiotics.. I'm not sure yet
How do antibiotics work on viruses?
If i take 600mg of antibiotics a shot. and I have a uti will it go away
Why isn't flu treated with antibiotics?
Antibiotics are useful against bacteria; they do not do anything about viruses.