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
Allow about 5 minutes
1 Antibiotics can be used to treat infections caused by:
Discussion
Antibiotics specifically target bacteria. They are not effective against infections such as the common cold and flu which are caused by viruses.
2 Antibiotics:
Discussion
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.
3 What should you do with left-over antibiotics that have been prescribed by your doctor?
Discussion
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.
4 Antibiotic resistance occurs when:
Discussion
It is the bacterial pathogen that develops antibiotic resistance and is no longer susceptible to its effects.
5 Antibiotic-resistant infections:
Discussion
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.
OpenLearn - Understanding antibiotic resistance
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