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Antibiotics are designed to exploit the unique characteristics of bacterial cells so that they can kill or slow the growth of bacterial cells while leaving our human cells relatively untouched. So antibioitics target things like bacterial cell walls (which only bacteria make) or they target the protein machinery of bacteria (which is different than the protein-making machinery of human cells).
Antibiotics don't work against viruses or fungi because these infectious agents don't have the same properties as bacterial cells. For example, viruses don't have cell walls, and the cell walls that fungi have are entirely different than bacterial cell walls. So different classes of drugs must be used to target viruses and fungi; these drugs are called antivirals and antifungals, respectively.
It's important to note that antibiotics aren't only prescribed for bacterial disease. Some antibiotics have desirable side effects that are used to treat other diseases not caused by bacteria. For example, azithromycin is a commonly used antibiotic that has the beneficial side effect of being an anti-inflammatory drug. For this reason, azithromycin is used to treat some diseases associated with chronic inflammation.
What else can I help you with?
Do antibiotics affect bacteria or viruses?
bacteria
Why don't antibiotics cure colds?
Antibiotics only affect bacteria and colds are caused by viruses.
Why would antibiotics not help if you had a flu?
Influenza is a viral disease and antibiotics do not affect viruses, only bacteria.
What are antibiotics and how do they affect bacteria?
they are a cure for when you have a infection and you have to be ill and have to go to the doctors to get this medication.
How do antibiotics affect bacterial growth?
they affect it because without the anitbiotic the bacteria would grow and make babies.
Will antibiodics ruin antibodies?
No. Antibiotics destroy susceptible bacteria; they don't affect antibodies.
Why are antibiotics in animal food bad?
Antibiotics in animal food is bad because the dseases and bacteria get used to the antibiotics in the feed and the evolve and learn how to beat it and therefore the antibiotics in animals feed has no longer an affect on the bacteria. You should only use antibiotics when completely necessary they are not to be used to prevent, only to cure.
Why is it important to know which species of bacteria are susceptible to which antibiotics?
If bacteria are susceptible to antibiotics, exposure to antibiotics will lead to the death or weakening of the bacteria.
Do Antibiotics only work on bacteria or virus?
Antibiotics only work on bacteria.
What type of infections can be treated with antibiotics?
Bacteria
What is a good reason to doubt the new antibiotics will cure all human disease?
Some antibiotics, such as penicillin, affect only certain types of bacteria but not other types.
Does antibiotics cure bacteria?
Bacteria are treated with antibiotics and viruses are treated with antiviral medications.
