AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -They either kill bacteria or stop them from reproducing, allowing the body’s natural defenses to eliminate the pathogens. Used properly, antibiotics can save lives.

Detailed explanation-2: -Antibiotics are medicines that fight infections caused by bacteria in humans and animals by either killing the bacteria or making it difficult for the bacteria to grow and multiply. Bacteria are germs.

Detailed explanation-3: -Often overlooked, hand-washing is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect yourself from germs and most infections. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Wash your hands before preparing or eating food, after coughing or sneezing, after changing a diaper, and after using the toilet.

Detailed explanation-4: -Vaccines and antibiotics have in the past been major contributors to preventing and treating community-acquired bacterial infections. In theory, a vaccine targeting most strains of a bacterial species is expected to eliminate also those that are resistant to antibiotics.

Detailed explanation-5: -Antibiotics kill bacteria, not archaea, fungi, or protists. The discovery of the antibiotic penicillin in the 1920s made a big impact on human history. Not only did it lead to a cure for bacterial infections that were once deadly, but it also led a big interest in finding new antibiotics.