Antibiotics

Antibiotics are medicines that stop infections caused by bacteria and fungi. They were fully
discovered only 89 years ago by Sir Alexander Fleming by accident. In combination with
vaccination, their discovery increased life expectancy massively. They are classified into two
main groups:

Bacteriostatic Antibiotics
Bacteriostatic antibiotics do not directly kill bacteria but merely inhibit their reproduction.
The body’s immune system can then easily destroy the bacteria.
An example for this type of antibiotic is “Quinolone”, which causes copied DNA strands to
break and prevents them from being repaired. Without intact DNA, the bacteria can’t live or
reproduce, causing gradual cell death.

Bactericidal Antibiotics
These types of antibiotics destroy bacterial cells which have a cell wall in a direct manner.
They kill them by preventing the bacteria from synthesizing a molecule in the cell wall called
peptidoglycan, which provides it with the strength required to survive inside the human
body. Once the cell wall is destabilized, the cell is destroyed by the pressure inside the cell.
Penicillin, the godfather of all antibiotics, is a bactericidal antibiotic.

Antibiotics vs. Viral Infections

Why are antibiotics ineffective against viral infections? The reason why antibiotics have no
effect on viruses are metabolic processes. Unlike bacteria, viruses do not carry out
metabolic processes themselves. In addition, viruses have a protein coat instead of a cell
wall. This makes both bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotics ineffective against viruses.

Side Effects:
Mild side effects: Rashes, upset stomach, maybe diarrhoea
Stronger side effects: Watery/bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, mouth sores
Allergic reactions (Anaphylaxis): Diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, tightening of airways & throat,
drop in blood pressure, seizures, loss of consciousness

Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria
Immune bacteria that escape the body might spread their immunity. This can happen
through gene transfer (using plasmids), or transformation, where bacteria harvest other
dead bacteria and acquire their immunities. This leads to bacteria that are immune to
multiple antibiotics.

Reasons for Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria

1. Lavish use of antibiotics: They are prescribed too freely and taken without care: Should
only be used as a last resort drug, not for comfort!
2. Usage of antibiotics in the meat industry: Animals held in horrible conditions are fed large
amounts of antibiotics  Breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.