Question

1-When you get sick, should you take an antibiotic that a friend or family member offers you (this includes your mom!)? Why or why not?
2- Let's say you're sick and your doctor prescribes you an antibiotic that you have to take for 7 days. If you feel better after 4 days, should you continue taking the antibiotic for the full dose, or stop taking it? Why or why not?
3-If you have a virus, will taking antibiotics cure your infection? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Answer:

1. No! You should only take antibiotics that your doctor prescribes. If you take the wrong antibiotics, or the antibiotics are not necessary, they will not make you feel better and they could contribute to antibiotic resistance by exposing populations of bacteria to antibiotics. This can lead to bacteria evolving resistance genes because of natural selection.

2. No. You must finish the course of antibiotics. By completing the treatment, you increase the odds of killing all the bacteria causing your illness. This means that there are no bacteria left that might develop resistance to the antibiotics

3, No, antibiotics only work against bacteria, and will not work against viral infections. They usually attack the bacterial cell wall, interfere with bacteria reproduction, or interfere with protein synthesis

Explanation: