Are antibiotics useful against viruses?

Viruses seem like the peskiest thing to catch. Everyone seems to be getting sick with them in winter, there is always one doing the rounds at work or school, and they can lay you up for days on end. When we get a virus infection, it’s typical to rush out and grab a round of antibiotics from our local chemist.’STOP!’ That’s what I’d say if my vocabulary wasn’t suitable for an academic journal article but here let me take care of that: ‘cease and desist immediately!’ Yes, no matter how many TV ads inform us that antibiotics are a cure-all answer to all the world’s ills’they’re not!

What Causes A Virus Infection?

Before diving into why antibiotics cannot help fight viruses (not again!), you must first understand what causes most viral infections:

  • Sneezing
  • Coughing
  • Shaking dirty hands
  • Touching contaminated surfaces

Yes ladies and gents, that innocently shared pen travelling round your office could infect half your workforce.

So much like when people around us pass gas’(sorry about that!), nasty little germs spread alarmingly fast!

The immune system has evolved over time to battle these invaders such as viruses among others. However with thousands of potential varieties circulating throughout the year; immunity cannot keep up’(I know right?! ugh!!!)‘.

If only there were some magical potion-like substance capable of coming along (wait for it….here comes another word) post-haste (it means really quickly – pretty neat phrase eh?) which could dispose of every last germ before they even had a chance…oh wait.

Why Don’t Antibiotics Work For Fighting Viral Infections?

First things first (sorry) – before battling foes whether bacterial or viral-based; firstly understanding just what we’re up against is key.

In terms of:

  • Definition
  • Structure
  • Reproduction

Viruses and bacteria differ somewhere in between an artichoke and Apple’s iPhone. Bacteria are one-cell organisms, complete with a full set of functions like self-replication; decision-making processes’(I’m serious look it up)‘; finding food etc.

Most importantly here – antibiotics kill or prevent bacterial growth by disrupting the several pathways that make them work internally’in other words, they break their little legos apart!

Now viruses on the other hand, forgo all semblance of normal biology altogether. They’re not considered alive until inside a host cell where infusion can begin’(sounds like some sort dance move doesn’t it?)‘. The infected cells then read their instructions directing its DNA to produce more virus particles – Meanwhile antibiotic medication attacks bacterial structures’. So antibiotics can’t be used as much help if we’re putting our anti-viral hopes into pop-it.

Once open once again viruses aren’t living things (though they possess genetic material called RNA instead). These tricky customers don’t stop at this though; rapidly evolving and changing means any antiviral medicine must stay current such as yearly flu jabs.

Therefore taking generic penicillin-type stuff when your down with something will hardly put any dents in influenza, chickpox; rhinoviruses (the ‘common cold’) or endure about 200 different potential strains each year.

When Will Antibiotics Be Needed For Viral Infections?

The short answer is almost never ‘(surprise surprise)’.

If someone exhibits symptoms like infections because there may be some secondary form of infection which could emerge from reduced immunity as triggering virus has moved out elsewhere. Or a big whack hit somebody successfully combating viral affliction most times infected patients take plenty water bottles frequent checkups/symptom relief medicines for fever discomfort symptom relief, rest and recuperation’and copious amount of tea with honey! Everybody says ‘Oh my, that’s me’ but half the time or more it’s not… First off, seek professional care which can diagnose correctly.’

Conclusion

We may never be able to eradicate viruses worldwide before people become completely extinct (yikes!) But alternatively finding alternatives other then antibiotics for treating viral infections stays paramount in keeping us all healthy otherwise medical treatments used over and over becomes ineffective.

So folks that marks the end of another indecisive debate on whether antibiotics work well against viruses (they don’t)…Hopefully by now you’re educated enough to take your new scrip/brush up on your vitamin C/quarantine yourself if necessary; whatever provides you with a solution next go around…….peace out!

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