Antibiotics are drugs used to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics work by stopping bacteria from reproducing (bacteriostatic) or by destroying bacteria (bactericidal). Antibiotics don’t work at all against infections caused by viruses (colds, flu) and fungi (yeast infections).
A bacterial infection occurs when bacteria grow out of control in your body. Bacteria can destroy tissues and organs, or they can interfere with bodily processes or functions, so this can be a pretty serious problem. Some infections, if serious enough, can lead to death.
There are many classes of antibiotics, which work in different ways to either stop the bacteria from growing, or to kill it. Antibiotics that attack a wide range of bacteria are called “broad-spectrum antibiotics”. Those that attack one type of bacteria are called “narrow-spectrum antibiotics”.
How do antibiotics treat an infection?
When you take antibiotics, they are absorbed into your bloodstream through your digestive system, and are transported throughout the body. When they reach the area of infection, they attack the bacteria. The number of bacteria then begins to decrease.
You may feel cured after a few days, and you may want to stop taking the antibiotic. If you do this, the bacteria that remain in the area will begin to reproduce again, and you will just end up with another infection. It is extremely important to take antibiotics for the full time prescribed in order to get rid of all of the harmful bacteria.
What about resistance to antibiotics?
While you take antibiotics, the number of bacteria decreases until there are almost none left. The ones that are killed off first are the weakest ones, and the few left may have been unaffected, or resistant to the antibiotic. Fortunately, our immune system can recognise these leftover bacteria and eliminate them.
However, if you stop taking the antibiotics before the prescribed time, the resistant bacteria will be numerous enough to create another infection, and a new antibiotic will have to be used. This can lead to bacteria that are resistant to all known antibiotics.
A Bit of Humor: Keep Taking the Medicine
Patient: It's been one month since my last visit and I still feel miserable.
Doctor: Did you follow the instructions on the medicine I gave you?
Patient: I sure did - the bottle said 'keep tightly closed.'
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