Antibiotics
Antibiotics
• The first antibiotic was
penicillin, discovered
accidentally from a mold
culture.
• Today, over 100 different
antibiotics are available
to doctors to cure minor
discomforts as well as
life-threatening infections.
What are they?
• Antibiotics are among the most
frequently prescribed medications in
modern medicine.
• Antibiotics cure disease by killing or
injuring bacteria.
What do they do?
• Antibiotics only treat
bacterial infections.
• Antibiotics are useless
against viral infections (for
example, the common
cold) and fungal infections
(such as ringworm).
What do they do?
• Each antibiotic is effective only for
certain types of infections.
• In most cases, a doctor must
choose an antibiotic based on the
most likely cause of the infection.
EX: a few bacteria cause about
90% of pneumonias.
• If that does not work, they will try a
different type.
What do they do?
• If nothing else works, the doctor may
prescribe a cocktail (many different antibiotics
at one time)
How do they know?
Cultures (sample from your infection) is
allowed to grow in a laboratory to see if
it is bacterial.
Ahhhh!
How do they know?
If the culture is positive:
– The way bacteria grow
– Shape of the bacteria
– Gram stains
Finish
all of your medicine,
even if you feel better!
If an antibiotic is
stopped early, the
bacteria may be
partially treated
and not
completely killed
and may cause a
reinfection.
Resistant Bacteria
AKA: “Superbugs”
Bacteria have emerged that
cannot be killed by any
known antibiotics!!
The Results?
• About 100 percent of bacteria
that cause infections are
resistant to at least one
common antibiotic.
• Some pathogenic bacteria are
resistant to all approved
antibiotics and must be
treated with experimental and
potentially toxic drugs.
How did this happen?
Overuse!
By prescribing
antibiotics for the
common cold or flu.
Why?
Many people expect
to get a prescription
when they visit their
doctor. Are you disappointed when
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FJHpN7WyvE you leave the doctor
&feature=related&safety_mode=true&persist_
safety_mode=1 without medicine??