Antibiotic and Antibiotic resistance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfxaUimrrZY

Who was alexander fleming

In 1920’s, antibiotic penicillin was discovered by fleming.

Penicilin is a chemical produced by fungus, it was shown to kill bacteria without harming human cells.

Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not viral infections.

How do antibiotics work

They work by targeting structures or processes found in bacteria, e.g some target bacterial ribosomes, preventing bacteria from synthesising proteins.

How can antibiotic resistance be caused

By overusing antibiotics , e.g prescribing them when not needed , or when they arent effective

How does antibiotic resistance develop

A random mutation can occur in some bacteria, giving it a resistance to the antibiotic

That means bacteria that are not resistant will die, and bacteria with resistance survive

This means surviving bacteria will reproduce, and pass the resistance gene on , eventually causing whole population to become resistannt

Problems with antibiotic resistance

Resistant strains are now very hard to treat, such as MRSA

Its hard to find new antibiotics / treatments

Whats MRSA

Mathicillin- resistant stephylococcus aureus

Its a bacterium resistant and serveral related antibiotics

Can cause skin, wound and bloodstream infections .

Whats clostridium diffficile

Present in the gut, but kept in check by other bacteria

If a patient is on antibiotics then the other bacteria may die and C. diff may thrive and release toxins that cause symptoms (diarrhoea and fever)