What are antibiotics? Why are they both good and bad?
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Antibiotics are medicines that have specific mechanism of actions towards bacteria. They are decided into classes based on mechanisms.
They are good as they have saved millions or even hundred of millions of lives. Small things that would mean death: infected wounds, abscesses, UTI, pneumonia are now treatable even as outpatient.
They are bad in their side effects, which are specific for each med. Some may increase risk of other infections. The other people born with antibiotics is that excessive use has caused (worsening) resistance.
One major thing: antibiotics have no effect on virus, protozoan, or fungi.
Antibiotics kill bacteria. But there are two caveats:
* They only kill all the unwanted bacteria if prescribed and used properly (i.e. the correct drug and correct course length). If used improperly, some of the bacteria will survive, and they’ll evolve resistance to this antibiotic (so you have to switch to a stronger one, and if someone gets infected with these bacteria from you, the antibiotic you used will be of no effect).
* They also kill the bacteria you actually want in your body, e.g. your gut flora.
Antibiotics kill bacteria. Unfortunately its hard to find a perfect one, so while it is killing the bad stuff you want it to, good chance it is also killing good stuff you don’t want it to
And you should also finish you medicine, if you stop early because you feel better now you have only the strongest bacteria that hasn’t died, and basically paving the way for super bacteria. Finish your medicine to stop that
Antibiotics kill bacteria. Unfortunately its hard to find a perfect one, so while it is killing the bad stuff you want it to, good chance it is also killing good stuff you don’t want it to
And you should also finish you medicine, if you stop early because you feel better now you have only the strongest bacteria that hasn’t died, and basically paving the way for super bacteria. Finish your medicine to stop that
Antibiotics kill bacteria. But there are two caveats:
* They only kill all the unwanted bacteria if prescribed and used properly (i.e. the correct drug and correct course length). If used improperly, some of the bacteria will survive, and they’ll evolve resistance to this antibiotic (so you have to switch to a stronger one, and if someone gets infected with these bacteria from you, the antibiotic you used will be of no effect).
* They also kill the bacteria you actually want in your body, e.g. your gut flora.
Antibiotics kill bacteria. Unfortunately its hard to find a perfect one, so while it is killing the bad stuff you want it to, good chance it is also killing good stuff you don’t want it to
And you should also finish you medicine, if you stop early because you feel better now you have only the strongest bacteria that hasn’t died, and basically paving the way for super bacteria. Finish your medicine to stop that
Antibiotics kill bacteria. But there are two caveats:
* They only kill all the unwanted bacteria if prescribed and used properly (i.e. the correct drug and correct course length). If used improperly, some of the bacteria will survive, and they’ll evolve resistance to this antibiotic (so you have to switch to a stronger one, and if someone gets infected with these bacteria from you, the antibiotic you used will be of no effect).
* They also kill the bacteria you actually want in your body, e.g. your gut flora.
Antibiotics are chemicals that are toxic specifically to bacteria, but not so much to other lifeforms such as us.
Antibiotics are very good, if not for antibiotics, there is about 50:50 chance or worse you would have died of one childhood illness or another and never lived long enough to ask the question.
Bacteria can be good or bad. We prescribe antibiotics when the bad bacteria create symptoms. Sometimes, we don’t know if you have a bacterial infection (which can be treated with antibiotics) or a viral infection (which can not be treated with antibiotics). You may ask, why not just err on the side of caution and just treat for a bacterial infection? Because this is how superbugs are made. We have two major strains which are the direct result of our irresponsible use of antibiotics. These are called ESBL’s and VRE’s. They are two strains which are resistant to really strong antibiotics that we have on the market. This means, if you get them, you need antibiotics that may very well take you out with the bacterial infection.
Antibiotics are chemicals that are toxic specifically to bacteria, but not so much to other lifeforms such as us.
Antibiotics are very good, if not for antibiotics, there is about 50:50 chance or worse you would have died of one childhood illness or another and never lived long enough to ask the question.
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