2006-12-06 04:17:45 · 8 answers · asked by halil e 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
Antibiotics target specific metabolic processes in bacteria to either stop them from growing or kill them. Eukaryote cells, do not have the same metabolic pathways and are therefore not inhibited.
Perhaps the most obvious example of this is in Beta-lactam antibiotics such as penicillin, amoxicillin, and cephrosporins. The chemical structure of the beta-lactam ring interferes with with the NAG-NAM ( N-acetyl glucosamine and N-acetyl muramic acid) binding in the bacterial peptidoglycan cell wall. With being able to link these two proteins in their cell wall, the bacteria cannot grow and is soon killed by the immune system. Human (or animal) cells do not have a cell wall and are there for not effected by this process. Fungal cell walls (if they have a cell wall, not all fungi do) are made of proteins such as cellulose, chitin, or glucosamine.
Anti-fungal drugs work in much the same way. Common anti-fungals such as polyene anti-fungals (like amphotericin B) block ergosterol production which damages fungal cell membranes. As with antibiotics, they do not harm animal cells which do not use ergosterol.
2006-12-06 08:52:43 · answer #1 · answered by thenightwalker13 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Infectious Diseases: The Immune System - Barnes-Jewish HosptialWhat is the difference between viruses and bacteria? ... If antibiotics are stopped early, the bacteria may develop a resistance to the antibiotics. ...
www.barnesjewish.org/healthinfo/content.asp?PageID=P00630 - 18k - Cached - Similar pages
Antibiotic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThey have no effect against viruses, fungi, or parasites. ... Some antibiotics actually kill the bacteria (bactericidal), whereas others merely prevent the ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic - 59k - Cached - Similar pages
infection: Definition and Much More from Answers.comAn infection is a condition in which viruses, bacteria, fungi, ... Antibiotics are effective against many parasitic and fungal infections as well as ...
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2006-12-06 04:19:41 · answer #2 · answered by god knows and sees else Yahoo 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Antibiotics Have Action MOSTLY In Bacteria, it Depends On the Mechcanism, but There Are Exceptions, I can't Remember them All, but One is the Action of Bactrim Against "Pneumocystis carinii" (Sp?), Seen as Something Between a Parasite and a Fungi, Another is Doxycycline Against Several Parasites.
2006-12-06 05:08:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Fungi metabolism is a little closer to that of our cells, so there are less metabolic differences to exploit (in other words, less ways to poison them without poisoning us).
There are certain antibiotics specific to fungi, though not many.
All antibiotics exploit some difference. As an example, a preservative known as Benzoic acid is harmless to humans, but is similar enough to a vitamin utilized by bacteria, that it inhibits bacterial growth because of the competitive inhibition by the Benzoic acid.
2006-12-06 04:43:44 · answer #4 · answered by Radagast97 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Antibiotics work on bacteria.
Antibiotics do not work on viral or fungal infections, because they are not caused by....bacteria.
2006-12-06 04:19:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
maybe because antibiotics are for fighting bacteria and fungi are not bacteria?
2006-12-06 04:20:15 · answer #6 · answered by JJMM 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because antibiotics are not meant to treat a fungus.
2006-12-06 04:20:34 · answer #7 · answered by makeitright 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I was discussing that very subject to my goldfish last night.
2006-12-06 04:18:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋