Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology

Antibiotics

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Antibiotics are a type of antimicrobials that are used in treatment and prevention of bacterial infections. They may kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. Many antibiotics are also effective against protozoans and fungi; some are toxic to humans and animals also, even when given in therapeutic dosage. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses such as common cold or influenza, and may be harmful when taken inappropriately. Physicians must ensure the patient has a bacterial infection before prescribing antibiotics.

The golden age of the discovery of antibiotics from 1940 to the early 1970s marked the beginning of a new era in human and animal health and the dramatic increase in human life expectancy. Indeed, the possibility of eradicating infectious diseases seemed possible. However, it soon became apparent that the microorganisms would not be defeated so easily. Their weapon: resistance to antibiotics. Today, resistance to microbial antibiotics rapidly depletes our supply of effective compounds and the possibility of a global public health disaster seems likely. The urgency of this situation has spawned a plethora of new multidisciplinary research initiatives in search of new antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents.