Question

What is an antibiotic? Give two examples.

Answer 1

Antibiotics:

1. Antibiotics are chemical compounds produced by certain microorganisms.
2. They can kill or retard the growth of other (disease-causing) microbes.
3. They are used to treat diseases caused by bacteria, and they cannot treat viral infections.
4. Antibiotics have significantly enhanced our ability to treat severe diseases like plague, whooping cough, and leprosy.
5. The first antibiotic discovered was penicillin.

Examples:

1. Streptomycin
2. Penicillin