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Why can antibiotics treat flu-like symptoms caused by bacteria but are ineffective against flu?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 6y agoColds and flu are caused by viruses and antibiotics are only effective against bacteria.
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Why antibiotics are ineffective against viral disease?
Antibiotics are only for bacteria. Viruses need antiviral medicines.
Antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections because?
Because antibiotics are designed (by nature) to effect bacteria. And bacteria and virsus are two very different things.
Do antibiotics work against bacteria?
antibiotics are useful against bacteria because they help to kill off the nasty bacteria or they can also stop the bacteria from reproducing - so the illness doesn't get worse. this then gives your body time to make antibodies which will eventually distroy the bacteria. after this, you won't get the disease again because you are immune to it.
Why the antibiotics are ineffective against viral diseases?
Antibiotics kill bacteria by recognising the antibodies secreted by the bacteria, then attach themselves to the bacteria and give out a signal calling for white blood cells (phagocytes) to eat up the bacteria. Viruses do not secrete the antibodies recognised by antibiotics as they do not resemble proper cells, therefore antibiotics cannot recognise viruses and thus they cannot be digested by phagocytes.
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.
Why don't you treat a virus with antibiotics?
antibiotics are only affective against bacteria, and a virus is different then bacteria
Why isn't flu treated with antibiotics?
Antibiotics are useful against bacteria; they do not do anything about viruses.
Differentiate between broad-spectrum and narrow-spectrum antibiotics?
A broad-spectrum antibiotic acts against many different kinds of disease-causing bacteria, including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A narrow-spectrum antibiotic acts only against specific families of bacteria.
Why are antibiotics not given unless a serious infection?
Bacteria can become immune to antibiotics and the antibiotics will not work in the future when you need them. They only work against bacteria and cold and flu are caused by viruses.
What were the first true antibiotics used against pathogenic bacteria?
penicillins
Are antibiotics losing the war against bacteria?
yes, that is what theyre made to do
What is the definition of antibiotics?
Drugs that fight bacteria. Very good for when you're sick.
