By: Inayah Nada
Definition
An antibiotic is a medication or drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Antibiotics are derived from living organisms, although they are often made more effective by various chemical processes. Antibiotics come from many forms, including tablets, capsules, liquids, creams, and ointments. The first modern-day antibiotic was used in 1936 and became available for treating disease in the 1940s. Before antibiotics, 30% all deaths in the United States were caused by bacterial infections.
How Antibiotics Work
Antibiotics kill or stop the growth of bacteria; without harming the cells of the infected organism. They do this by attacking the bacteria’s cell wall or coating its surrounding, interfering with bacteria reproduction, and blocking protein production in bacteria.
Discovery/How Antibiotics Was Found
In 1928, penicillin, the first true antibiotic, was discovered by Alexander Fleming, a professor of bacteriology at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. In fact, it was an accident. After returning from holiday on September 3, 1928, Fleming began to sort through petri dishes containing colonies of Staphylococcus, a type of bacteria that causes boils, sore throats and abscesses. He noticed something unusual on one dish: it was dotted with colonies, save for one area where a blob of mold was growing. The zone immediately around the mold was clear, as if the mold had secreted something that inhibited bacterial growth. Fleming found that his "mold juice" was capable of killing a wide range of harmful bacteria, He then set his assistants the difficult task of isolating pure penicillin from the mold juice. Fleming published his findings in the British Journal of Experimental Pathology in June 1929.
Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotics are powerful medications that work very well for certain types of illnesses. However, some antibiotics are now less useful than they once were due to an increase in antibiotic resistance. Each year, there are more than 2.8 million cases of bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotics occur in the United States each year, resulting in at least 35,000 deaths. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria can no longer be controlled or killed by certain antibiotics. In some cases, this can mean there are no effective treatments for certain conditions.
Clearly, we should try to reduce the number of circumstances in which bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics. Some of the ways we can do this are by:
- Using antibiotics only when appropriate and necessary
- Making sure that patients complete their course of medication
- Avoiding using antibiotics to prevent, rather than cure infections.
Side Effects of Antibiotics
Most antibiotics have similar side effects. Perhaps the most common side effect is gastrointestinal (GI) upset, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and cramps. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the best way to take your antibiotic. GI upset usually goes away after you stop treatment. If it doesn’t, you should call your doctor.
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