2.2 How much do you know about antibiotics?
Try this short quiz to find out how much you know about antibiotics. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers to all the questions. By the end of this course you should be able to answer them all.
Activity 3 The antibiotics quiz
a.
bacteria and viruses
b.
bacteria
c.
viruses
d.
all microorganisms
The correct answer is b.
Feedback
Antibiotics specifically target bacteria. They are not effective against infections such as the common cold and flu which are caused by viruses.
a.
have non-therapeutic uses
b.
are only active against pathogens
c.
do not cause side effects
d.
stimulate the body’s immune system
The correct answer is a.
Feedback
Antibiotics are used for many non-therapeutic purposes, for example as growth promoters in farm animals.
Antibiotics are not selective and will inhibit or kill ‘good’ bacteria along with ‘bad’ bacteria in the gut. This can lead to common side effects such as upset stomach and loose stools. Antibiotics neither enhance nor inhibit the body’s immune response.
a.
Return them to your doctor to dispose of
b.
Throw them away
c.
Nothing – you should always complete the course
d.
Save them for when you get another infection
The correct answer is c.
Feedback
It is important to take antibiotics at the dose prescribed and to complete the full course. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the drug may be reduced which could lead to antibiotic resistance.
a.
bacteria are no longer susceptible to the antibiotic
b.
a person develops an allergic reaction to a prescribed antibiotic
c.
the drug stops working in the individual
d.
the antibiotic changes in some way
The correct answer is a.
Feedback
It is the bacterial pathogen that develops antibiotic resistance and is no longer susceptible to its effects.
a.
may require treatment with more expensive and more powerful drugs
b.
may require hospital treatment
c.
may take longer to cure
d.
all of these
The correct answer is d.
Feedback
Antibiotic-resistant infections may not respond to common antibiotics and/or may require treatment with combinations of drugs. Some antibiotic-resistant infections may be fatal.
In the next section you will learn how the medical profession managed before antibiotics were available.