Antibiotics & Painkillers

• What do antibiotics kill?

  infective bacteria in the body
• Antibiotics destroy the bacteria without damaging what?

  body cells
• What can Antibiotics not be used to treat?

  viral diseases
• Some antibiotics kill a wide range of bacteria. Other antibiotics are specific to particular bacteria or types of bacteria.
• Why are viruses difficult to kill?

  they reproduce inside the body cells, so any treatment for viral infections could also damage the body cells.
• What are painkillers used for?

  To treat the symptoms of a disease but do not kill the pathogen
• What are painkillers often used for?

  To treat the symptoms of viral diseases
• What has the use of antibiotics greatly reduced?

  deaths from infectious diseases
• Why is it not possible to treat viral diseases with antibiotics?

  because viral diseases reproduce inside the body cells
• Why can some antibiotics not kill the bacteria?

  Strains of bacteria have evolved that are resistant to some or all of the available antibiotics, so the disease can't be cured.
• Why are doctors concerned about the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria?

  It makes infections harder to treat and increases the risk of serious illness, disability and death