Antibiotics kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria by targeting essential cellular processes. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics have led to antibiotic resistance, where bacteria evolve to survive these drugs. This makes infections harder to treat, threatening global health and requiring responsible antibiotic use and new drug development.
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How Antibiotics Work: Antibiotics kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria by targeting essential bacterial processes, such as cell wall synthesis, protein production, or DNA replication, while sparing human cells.
Antibiotic Resistance: Misuse and overuse of antibiotics lead to bacteria evolving mechanisms to survive these drugs, making infections harder to treat. This growing concern threatens global health by reducing the effectiveness of existing antibiotics, increasing mortality rates, and complicating medical procedures. Responsible antibiotic use and development of new treatments are crucial to combat resistance.
Antibiotic Resistance: Misuse and overuse of antibiotics lead to bacteria evolving mechanisms to survive these drugs, making infections harder to treat. This growing concern threatens global health by reducing the effectiveness of existing antibiotics, increasing mortality rates, and complicating medical procedures. Responsible antibiotic use and development of new treatments are crucial to combat resistance.
How do antibiotics work?
Antibiotics are medicines designed to fight infections caused by bacteria. They work by either killing the bacteria or stopping them from multiplying. Different antibiotics target specific parts of a bacterial cell. For example, some attack the bacteria's cell wall, causing it to break apart, while others interfere with the bacteria’s ability to make proteins or copy its DNA. This helps your body’s immune system clear out the infection more easily.
Why is antibiotic resistance a growing concern?
Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change in a way that makes antibiotics less effective or even useless. This can occur if antibiotics are overused (like taking them for viral infections such as colds) or not used properly (like stopping a course too early). Resistant bacteria can spread between people and animals, making infections harder to treat. Without effective antibiotics, even simple infections or routine surgeries could become dangerous. That’s why it’s important to use antibiotics responsibly and only when prescribed by a doctor.
Antibiotics work by targeting specific features of bacteria, either by killing them or inhibiting their growth. They can disrupt bacterial cell wall synthesis, protein production, or DNA replication, ultimately preventing bacteria from multiplying or surviving. However, antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria evolve to withstand the effects of antibiotics, often through genetic mutations or acquiring resistance genes from other bacteria. This growing concern is driven by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, such as not completing prescribed courses or using them in agriculture. As resistance spreads, infections become harder to treat, leading to longer illnesses, more hospitalizations, and an increased risk of death. It poses a major public health threat by diminishing the effectiveness of existing antibiotics and limiting treatment options for common infections.