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Why are antibiotics effective against bacteria but not viruses?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
mainly because antibiotics are "programmed" to fight bacteria and do not attack other organisms like fungus or virus. its is also believed that even though virus does replicate inside livving cells, it is not considered "alive", literally. and since bacteria is a growing organism that is "alive", vaccines wont help any bit either because they are also "programmed" to kill or prevent any harmful virus that is alive only.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agobecause antibiotics Kill BACTERIA only and cant kill viruses. Viruses are different pathogens.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agobecause viruses reproduce in the cell host. antibiotics work over the reproduction of the bacteria or other type of organisms that are in the infected organism
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoBecause there is no cure for aids.
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Why cant antibiotics be used to to treat hiv or aids?
Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria, not viruses, and HIV is a virus.
When are antibiotics not effective?
An antibiotic might not work because the symptoms are attributed to a virus rather than a bacterium. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.
What would you not use in treating a virus?
Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, only against bacteria. Antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu are effective against most forms of H1N1 and many other flu viruses
Why isn't flu treated with antibiotics?
Antibiotics are useful against bacteria; they do not do anything about viruses.
Why are antibiotics unhelpful for fighting a common cold?
B. Colds are caused by viruses, and antibiotics only kill bacteria
Can a viruses be cured using antibiotics?
Yes. But only by antiviral antibiotics, not antibacterial or antifungal or antiprotozoal antibiotics. Most antibiotics are antibacterial: such as penicillin, sulfa, cipro, rocephin, etc. The Herpes Simplex virus is a virus that can be attacked by an antibiotic, such as acyclovir. Just as with antibacterial antibiotics, antiviral antibiotics will become less effective over time as the viruses mutate to become more resistant. Therefore, these antibiotics should be used as judiciously as the other types of antibiotics.
Why antibiotics are ineffective against viral disease?
Antibiotics are only for bacteria. Viruses need antiviral medicines.
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, they do not kill every kind of bacteria, either. That is why there are so many different kinds of antibiotics. Antibiotics can treat flu-like symptoms caused by some bacteria, because the right antibiotics can kill bacteria. So although flu like symptoms are similar to those of the flu, they are caused by different microbes so are not cured in the same way.
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.
Why can't colds be cured by antibiotics?
because antibiotics stop pain and cover it up whereas a cold affects your body which is why you have to just get over it or go to a doctorAdded: Anitibiotics are effective against bacteria but NOT against viruses.
Why can't antibiotics be used against 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.)
Which viruses do antibiotics kill?
Antibiotics are the chemicals produced by microorganisms to inhibit the growth of other microorganisms. most of the antibiotics are produced by fungi. Very few are produces by bacteria. For example the antibiotics Monobactum, Bacitracin and Polymixin B are produced by bacteria. They almost all act against other bacteria and not viruses. ( Amphotericin B acts against fungi and is too toxic.) In fact you do not have good drugs against viruses and then you conveniently avoid to talk about it.
