Why are antibiotics not effective against cold and flu?

Ah, winter. The time when snow blankets the ground, chilly winds freeze our noses off, and we all come down with colds or the flu. It’s a seemingly never-ending cycle of sniffles, coughs, and Kleenex boxes that seems to last forever. And what do most people do when they get sick? Head straight to their doctor demanding antibiotics.

But here’s the thing: antibiotics are not effective against colds or the flu. In fact, taking them unnecessarily can actually be detrimental to your health – undermining your immune system and making it harder for you to fight off infection in the future.

So why exactly won’t antibiotics help cure those pesky symptoms? Let’s take a deeper dive into this issue and uncover why antibiotics aren’t always ideal.

Understanding Antibiotics vs Antivirals

Before delving deeper into why antibiotics don’t work for common viral infections like colds or flues let us briefly go over how these differ from antiviral medications used in treating influenza viruses; think Tamiflu. Though both are commonly used drugs while managing such illnesses but there is a key difference between them which leads us logically towards different treatments altogether!

Antibiotics target bacterial infection by destroying bacteria cell walls leading to its lethality whereas on other spectrum antivirals focus upon blocking transcription invading viruses use replica themselves inside human cells through interference mechanism alongside targeting of metabolites specific much more relevant than bacterial cell walls’ constituents thereby leading to complete discrepancy in medical approach involving usage of antigens against coli-form populations (or any other bacteria strains) versus using agents result-focused solely on virus-specific biochemical reaction pathways within host body systems.

Now that we’ve gotten past defining terms & fundamentally detailed differentiation among two parallelly employed categories- let us embark onto explaining –why antibiotic bit fails during treating influenza/colds-

What Causes the Common Cold or Flu?

First, let’s understand what causes colds and flus. The common cold is caused by a virus called rhinovirus – this sneaky bug can come in over 100 varieties to ensure that you never get bored during flu season! Influenza, on the other hand, is caused by influenza viruses (really breaking boundaries with my vocabulary here).

Now both of these illnesses are viral infections that tend to spread pretty easily through coughing, sneezing or even talking. It spreads so fast it could outpace your local politician while they promise free pizza.

Tale of Resistance Power

But viruses have something special about them: they’re masters at evolution. That’s right folks; it ain’t just spoken for mitochondria or any cell death channel – its all Viruse-y genes too!

Viruses undergo quick mutations transferring their genetic material into our cells speeding process up (fast as lightning- alright maybe not as much dramatic) leading towards formation of new strains every year,- rendering previously developed antidotes useless in face of constantly re-emerging genus spurred onto reactionary changes literally gracing over millennia prevalent scientific consensus – where human bodies carry highly adaptable immune systems capable& exposed resistance mechanisms programmed genetically from birth aiding them fight off bacterial populations & forming immunological memory for long term- adaptive change against future assaults since mammals learn new strategies like an A grade champ post thorough analysis-on-a-project/mid-term-evaluations but alas seems bacteria has been getting dunked early due constant onslaught to be expected when residing nearly everywhere which invites strong evolutionary adaptations whereas we humans simply cannot transform overnight.

Antibiotics work primarily by killing or halting the growth and reproduction process in bacterial cells located within our body– think school teachers eating too many gummy bears and falling asleep removing marks faster than sleep wrenches away life events/dream remnants-. Although there was established evidence surrounding combating antibacterial infections by sanitizing surfaces but then “slippery slope fallacy” occurred where people began wantonly using these drugs even in viral diseases thus creating another health hazard altogether.

Antibiotic Resistance: Is the Problem Enlarging?

As antibiotic use became rampant for colds, flus and other viral illnesses; we observed some phenomena of antibiotic resistance becoming increasingly preponderant. Viral strains become capable of fighting back against antibiotics- leading to a precarious situation where conventional milder infection could transform into potent-churning monster-like issues not easily fixed by regular doses of antibiotics regularly available.

Scientists have witnessed few mutants being born with gene development causing them to replicate without any hindrance despite having targeted specific viruses via medical counter-move. This results in tougher forms capable-of-fighting widespread epidemic-level battles rather than just targeting individual cases requiring medication inducing their complete effacement. This violates fundamental directives required while administering antibiotics knowing fully well they can pave way towards formation-in-having future unwanted resistant strands perhaps making us subject to susceptibilities lately encountered within our body mechanisms which formerly had impenetrable immunity apparatus solely able resist such pathogens naturally over evolutionary progression regarding immune system adaptations needed over time adopted permanently through genetic memory nurtured since centuries past until now been interrupted massively during recent times due advent human interventions induced influx various synthetic palatable disease profiles.

How do Antiviral Medications Work Against Influenza?

Antivirals, on the other hand, work specifically against influenza. These medications target proteins that are essential for influenza virus replication– stopping it dead in its tracks! Tamiflu & Relenza amongst others profoundly belong here- antivirals don’t necessarily “kill” all the bad guys swash-buckling inside your body (unless you add Star Wars soundtrack) – but they aim at slowing production/reducing infected cell numbers effectively preventing impact spread/progression before it might lead to chronologically enforced permanent damage by resulting chained events.

Antiviral drugs don’t target bacterial cell walls (no “Trojan Horse” strategy here); instead, the antivirals focus solely on blocking influenza virus-specific transcription and implementing metabolic pathway-specific enzymes essential for flu survival. These molecularly specific agents help decrease viral quantities inside host just enough that body has time mount counter attack/offensive repression.

Conclusion

In summary, other than a few incredibly rare exceptions – antibiotics should NEVER be used as treatment for colds or flus- hence never even think about self-diagnosing Now stop bothering your doctor asking them! Antibiotics fight bacteria where antivirals take charge against viruses & our immune systems are uniquely programmed tackle different forms of invasive species in completely distinctive ways unique to each genre separately making sure all bases covered; thus effectively blanket-treated monsters like cold/flu altogether preventing internal systems overall from getting clogged up with un-necessarily active compounds posing severe health hazards only adding slowly into resistance pool over time leaving us exposed towards much more serious after effects taking hold before we’re ready-& thus requiring way more intrusive interventive actions later on when it is already too late..

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