More on drugs

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  • Created by: alexda
  • Created on: 04-05-14 16:45
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  • More on drugs
    • When plants are attacked by pathogens they produce chemicals to protect themselves which contain antibacterial effects that protect the plant against bacteria.
    • Antiseptics
      • Antiseptics are chemicals that destroy bacteria or stop them from growing.
      • Antiseptics are used outside the body to help clean wounds and surfaces. They are used to prevent infection rather than treat it.
    • Antibiotics
      • Antibiotics are drugs used inside the body usually taken in the form of a pill or injection.
      • They are used to treat patients who are already infected with bacteria or fungi. However antibiotics don't destroy viruses.
      • There are two types of antibiotics:
        • Antifungal antibiotics are used to treat fungal infections. They work by killing the fungi or stopping them from growing.
        • Antibacterial antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. They work by killing bacteria or stopping them from growing,
          • However bacteria can mutate and evolve and sometimes become resistant to an antibiotic. This means when you treat the infection only the non-resistant bacteria will be killed whereas the individual resistant bacteria will survive and reproduce.
            • The population of the resistant strain will increase which could cause a serious infection not harmed by an antibiotic.
            • Misuse of antibiotics (e.g. doctors over prescribing them or patients not finishing the course of their antibiotics) has increased the rate of development of resistant strains.
  • However bacteria can mutate and evolve and sometimes become resistant to an antibiotic. This means when you treat the infection only the non-resistant bacteria will be killed whereas the individual resistant bacteria will survive and reproduce.
    • The population of the resistant strain will increase which could cause a serious infection not harmed by an antibiotic.
    • Misuse of antibiotics (e.g. doctors over prescribing them or patients not finishing the course of their antibiotics) has increased the rate of development of resistant strains.

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