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Why most bacterial antibiotics are not effective against viruses?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
because drugs that are used to kill bacterium destroy the cell membrane of the bacteria.
Viruses do not have a cell wall. Viruses enter you cells and anti biotics (which kill bacteria) have to destroy your cells to destroy the virus
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoAntibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. They work by attacking a different part of the bacteria to help the immune system get rid of the infection. The parts of bacteria are different from viruses, so the drugs wouldn't work on a virus. Likewise, drugs that work on certain viral or bacterial parts wouldn't work on bacteria or viruses that don't have that specific component.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoBacteria are living prokaryotic cells. Their membrane is made of murein. Mold has external digestion. Our stomachs contain HCl, but mold has an alkaline substance. Digestion is exterior for mold. First, it melts food and after that it is absorbed. Antibiotics were discovered while bacteria were being studied. Some microscope slides with bacteria got rotten. Scientists noticed that bacteria kept disappearing. The alkaline digestion substance has the quality of melting murein. This digestion substances we call ANTIBIOTICS. Check this word out. anti=against, bios=life.
They kill the living things inside us.
A virus is not a living thing. It is DNA or RNA muffled in a protein coat(no membrane, plasma, metabolism, breathing, producing energy, reproduction). Since they are not able to generate new viruses, when they infect a cell they convince it to multiply it. Its acid and its proteic coat. The cell uses its own protein and systems to create virus copies. At a certain point, cells die and release more viruses. An antibiotic cannot kill viruses because they are not alive and have no murein membrane.
Some viruses, while being copied by the host cell, they are copied with a mistake, thanks to some genes they have. That's why it's possible to have the flu more times than just one time. The only way you get rid of viruses is your own antibodies and natural immunity provided by blood and ganglions.
Some times, viruses can get inside the nucelus of the cell they infect. Each virus can only infect ONE type of cell and only one. They are not rejected by their nucleus because they are recognised as bits of chromosomes. That's why they can only infect their kind of cell.
Hope I helped!
Sources: 16 and smart xD
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoBecause the virus does not have a metabolisms of its own and it has very few biochemical pathways
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Why are antibiotics not effective against virueses?
beacause viruses are not a living organism such as bacteria.Atibiotic it interrupt one of the process of a bacterial cell.
Why taking an antibiotic is not effective in the common cold?
viruses are not killed by antibiotics. -apex
What diseases are treated with antibiotics?
Antibiotics treat (and sometimes prevent) bacterial infections. They are not effective against infections caused by any other microscopic pathogens (such as viruses and fungi).
Why regular antibodies not be used as effective treatment of viral diseases but effective against bacterial infection?
Viral diseases are caused by viruses which live in our cells as a host. So, killing them by antibiotics means killing our own cells. This is why antibiotics are not effective against viral diseases.
Illness not affected by antibiotics?
Viruses run their course and antibiotics are not prescribed for them. Antibiotics work against bacterial illnesses. So, if you have a cold (virus), but get pneumonia (bacterial) you can take antibiotics to get better.
Can antibiotics be used for bacteria or viruses?
Bacteria. Antibiotics kill bacteria. Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses. There are several different treatments for some kinds of viral pneumonia -- such as pneumonia caused by any kind of influenza virus. Other kinds of viral pneumonia have no known cure.
Why cant antibiotics be used to to treat hiv or aids?
Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria, not viruses, and HIV is a virus.
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 do antibiotics do not help teat viral infections?
Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, they have no affect on viruses. Vaccinations treat viruses.
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 effect does an antibiotic have on a viral disease?
Antibiotics don't help against viral diseases, so you shouldn't take them for colds and flus. Antibiotics only help against bacterial diseases, and even then you shouldn't take them w/o knowing which strain of bacteria is it that you have been infected with.
Why is antibiotics given for bacteria and not virus infection?
Simply because antibiotics only kill bacteria, and not viruses. There are no medications to kill viruses, your body has to fight the virus off on its own. There are some antiviral medications, but they do not kill the virus, they only prevent its growth, and only for very specific strains of very specific viruses.
