Why don't antibotics work on viruses?

Answer 1

Hey there fellow user!

Antibiotics are meant to target bacterial proteins which are not at all seen in viruses.

Additionally, bacteria are a bit different to viruses since they have ribosomes, plasmids, antibiotic resistance proteins, pumps that chuck out the antibiotics from the bacteria and proteins that pretend to look like the antibiotic's target protein, to name a few. Also, not to forget the mutations that they can undergo due to some errors that creep in during the genome replication.

Viruses don't have any of that, but they have pretend-proteins and the ability to mutate which can affect the structure of the virus or any of its proteins a bit but good enough to evade the antiviral drugs. However, antibiotics are useless against all viruses and it doesn't need to put much of an effort to protect themselves. I

mportantly, taking an antibiotic during viral infection can only make the pathogenic bacteria hiding in there develop resistance against it, only to come back stronger and make the antibiotic useless during treatment. That here is antibiotic resistance and that is pretty fatal.

Sorry for the long detailed answer, I hope this helped you plenty though! 😄👍

Answer 2

Because antibiotics are only for killing bacteria. Viruses are a different kind of microbe (germ) than bacteria and are not affected by the same kinds of medicines. Bacteria are living germs, but viruses are not really alive, so you can not "kill" them like bacteria can be killed. You have to stop viruses from being able to reproduce and release new viruses into your body, or stop them from being able to get inside your cells in the first place.

We have antiviral medicines that can prevent our body cells from opening and releasing all the new viruses that the cell has made after being infected with the virus. This helps us get over the viral infection faster and with less severe symptoms. And we have vaccines that trick our immune systems into making antibodies that can attach to viruses so that they can not attach to our cells.

There are other kinds of germs as well, like microscopic fungi, and they require still another kind of anti-fungal medicine to stop them. The medicines are geared toward the exact type of microbe that is causing the infection and antibiotics work for only the one type of microbe (bacteria).

Answer 3

Antibiotics don't kill viruses because viruses are supreme and can beat anything once they have formed, that is why you should have vaccinations to prevent them ever being born, as if they are not born they cannot harm any one

Answer 4

Antibiotics are chemicals that target specific molecules on or in bacteria. Viruses don't have those specific target molecules, so the antibiotics are unable to interact with and affect viruses.

Incidentally, antibiotics also don't necessarily work against all bacteria (there are multiple different types, each with their own surface molecules), and they don't work against fungus or parasites like intestinal worms or protozoans.

Answer 5

Antibiotics only work against the living ( such as bacteria not fungi or viruses), viruses are nonliving. They target the bacteria and nothing else.

Antibiotics work by targeting specific bacterial pathways. They may interfere with the synthesis of DNA, synthesis of protein or disrupt peptidoglycan which makes up part of bacterial cell walls.

A virus is a molecule of nuclaic acid (DNA or RNA) in a protein coating. They can only replicate within a host cell.

Antibiotics cannot target the viruses pathways of replication because they are completely different to that of a bacteria.
No. We have virtually nothing that works against viruses. We are starting to have some custom made designer drugs that are capable of doing some good.

Antibiotics work against bacteria.
An antibiotic is given for the treatment of an infection caused by bacteria. They target only bacteria - they donotattack other organisms, such as fungi or viruses. If you have an infection it is important to know whether it is caused by bacteria, and not a virus or fungus. Most upper respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold and sore throats are generally caused by viruses - antibioticsdonotworkagainstviruses.
Antibiotics kill living things like bacteria. Viruses are not alive.

Answer 6

Antibiotics are not effective against viruses because viruses are different from bacteria in every way -- in structure, behavior and in the characteristics they have. Viruses aren't technically living, they're fragments of DNA or RNA. Your question is like asking why water isn't effective in cleaning up oil (virus) when it works on dirt (bacteria).

As for the second part of your question: There is variety among bacteria. They are not all the same. There are aerobic, anaerobic, gram-positive, gram-negative, autotrophic, heterotrophic. There 15 phyla of bacteria. A phylum is a scientific classification. The way to attack them depends on their specific characteristics. Wide-spectrum antibiotics work against several types of bacteria that have one or more characteristics in common and narrow-spectrum antibiotics (also called targeted antibiotics) are geared for specific types of bacteria. And as for methicillin-resistant, vancomycin-resistant, Bacitracin-resistant and multidrug-resistant bacteria, the reason why some antibiotics aren't effective is right there in the names. These bacteria have "learned" to develop resistance in the form of plasmids, extra-chromosomal elements, and this is genetically passed on.

Answer 7

Antibiotics only affects and cures bacteria within the body. Since viruses are not a living thing since they are single celled organisms, they can only be prevented through vaccines, never Cured

Answer 8

Antibiotics are for bacterial infections and will do nothing for a virus. There are anti-viral medications, but all these things need a doctor's prescription.