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Virus vs. Bacteria For Antibiotics |
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Friday, 19 May 2006 |
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A lot of us confuse viruses and bacteria, the two types of germs. These are two different things. Viruses are tiny, about 100 times smaller than bacteria. Viruses cannot survive and replicate without another host living cell, the 'provider' of life energy for the virus. Just like a DVD cannot function without the DVD player. Thousands of known viruses are now differentiated according to diseses they cause (herpes virus), looks (coronavirus ‘surrounded by a corona, or halo of spikes’), where they were discovered (Marburg virus), and who discovered them (Epstein-Barr virus). When you catch a cold or a flu, the doctor might give you antibiotics. In fact, that happens in 60 percent of patients that visit family doctors! But it is the bacteria, not viruses, that are volnerable to antibiotics.
Antibiotics can only kill bacteria - they don't kill the viruses which cause colds and flu. But if a person is already ill with a cold or flu, they may also become ill with an infection caused by bacteria - when this happens a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection. If you are prescribed antibiotics, remember to finish the whole pack. If you don't finish the pack or if you take the pills less often than the doctor advices, it means you will have too little medication in your body - not enough to kill the germs, but enough to help the germs learn to become resistant to the drug. This is causing a serious health problem for everyone because so many antibiotics are now powerless against some types of disease. This is because mis-use of antibiotics helps germs learn how to fight back. It's also important not use antibiotics that have been prescribed for someone else, nor to give other people's antibiotics to children. |
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