by V. Kumar

Created on: April 24, 2008   Last Updated: September 17, 2008

Antibiotics, are one of the two major factors responsible for the substantial increase in life expectancy seen during the last century, the other being vaccines. They are the primary reason for taming the bacterial infections and epidemics that had always been a cause of immense human death and suffering.

ANTIBIOTICS : AN OVERVIEW

Antibiotics are substances, which in very small quantities, can kill bacteria without damaging human cells. They do not affect virus or fungus and are usually not effective against other micro-organisms like those of Malaria parasites and viruses. Thus their use is almost limited to bacterial infections.

Every antibiotic is not equally effective against every bacteria. Only a small group of antibiotics called 'broad spectrum antibiotics' are effective against a wide range of bacteria . These broad spectrum antibiotics are effective in multiple infections, though not all. Most others antibiotics are effective only against a limited variety or group of bacteria, and hence can be used only in certain specific infections.

HISTORY OF ANTIBIOTICS

One of the first antibiotics known is PENICILLIN, discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928, as a substance secreted by penicillium fungus. However, the first group of antibiotics to become popular were SULFONAMIDES, which were synthetically prepared and heavily used since 1930s. These two groups of antibiotics changed the course of medical history by providing effective cure against a large number of infections, and prompted further research and development of many more antibiotic substances.

CONDITIONS IN WHICH ANTIBIOTICS ARE REQUIRED

(i) For trating bacterial infections

Many bacterial diseases spread and worsen very fast, and can be very difficult to treat without antibiotics. They range from a common BOIL to long lasting diseas like TUBERCULOSIS, and include lethal pandemics like PLAGUE. In fact, most of the lethal and scary diseases of yesteryears have all but disappeared today by the use of antibiotics. Even today, there are many diseases that can not be managed without antibiotics. PNEUMONIA, CELLULITIS, URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS, LEPROSY, MENINGITIS, ANTHRAX, GONORRHEA and SYPHILIS are all examples of such diseases which are no more considered scary because of the availability of antibiotics.

(ii) For prophylaylactic anti-bacterial cover

These days the frequency of bacterial infections has significantly gone down because of improved standards of hygiene, and antiseptics available with both medical

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