Antibiotic
What is an antibiotic?
An antibiotic is a medicine used to treat infections caused by bacteria. It works by killing the bacteria or preventing them from multiplying, allowing the immune system to eliminate them more easily. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, so they cannot be used to treat illnesses such as the flu or the common cold.
Antibiotics have played a crucial role in modern medicine, enabling the effective treatment of infections that were once deadly. Thanks to antibiotics, it is now possible to carry out complex surgeries, caesarean sections, and treatments for serious illnesses—such as chemotherapy for cancer—with significantly reduced infection risks.
Was penicillin the first antibiotic?
The British scientist Alexander Fleming is remembered as the discoverer of antibiotics. In 1928, while studying bacteria in his laboratory, he noticed that one of his culture plates had become contaminated with the fungus Penicillium, which was killing the surrounding bacteria. This accidental discovery led to the development of the first antibiotic used in medicine: penicillin, which, in the 1940s, revolutionised public health and saved millions of lives.
However, the first medicine with antibiotic action was not penicillin but arsphenamine, synthesised in 1908 by Paul Ehrlich during his search for an effective treatment for syphilis.
How do antibiotics work?
Depending on their mechanism of action, antibiotics can be divided into two main types:
- Bactericidal: These directly kill bacteria. For example, penicillin works by preventing bacteria from forming their cell wall, a structure that gives them shape and protects them. Without this wall, the bacteria become weak and eventually die.
- Bacteriostatic: These stop bacteria from growing, giving the immune system time to destroy them. An example is tetracycline, which blocks protein production.
Each antibiotic is designed to target specific types of bacteria. It is the responsibility of medical professionals to select the appropriate treatment for each infection. The responsible use of antibiotics is vital to ensure their continued effectiveness and to combat antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotic resistance
Over time, the inappropriate or excessive use of antibiotics—as well as their widespread use in livestock farming—has led to a serious issue: the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, meaning bacteria that have developed mechanisms to survive antibiotic treatment.
Today, antibiotic resistance is a growing concern and one of the major threats to public health. The problem is made worse by the difficulties in developing new antibiotics, due to either a lack of public funding or limited economic incentives for large pharmaceutical companies.
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COLLAPSE
- Antimicrobial Resistance: The Silent Pandemic?(ISGlobal, 2024)
- Antibiotics: What Happens If You Take Them Late or Expired? 7 Questions Answered(ISGlobal, 2023)
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