Why are antibiotics not effective against viruses?!
Question: because bio means life
so anti-(bio)tics means it is against live things
and a virus is not living
Answers: because bio means life
so anti-(bio)tics means it is against live things
and a virus is not living
according to Darwin's theory of evolution, the strong live and the weak die, right?
so what's happening with penicillin and other antibiotics is that the bacteria are finding ways of reproducing stronger genes that aren't being killed by the antibiotics and we have to find new ways to kill them.
ps viruses aren't killed by antibiotics because they aren't alive, i read your question wrong.
A virus is living. GEEZE
Antibiotics work to alter the cell wall of bacteria. By breaking down the cell wall it destroys the bacteria.
A virus has a different make-up. The wall covering a virus is not easily attacked by antibiotics.
Antibiotics are thus, not effective in killing a virus.
Hope this answers your question.
P.S. To those who don't believe a virus is alive, then explain reproduction from a dead entity. Viruses are alive--they reproduce.
Antibiotics work against bacteria. Bacteria cause an infection which antibiotics can attack and clear up. Viruses actually get worse if you try and treat them with antibiotics. Virus you treat with rest, liquids., etc. Hope you don't get one.(or the other )
antibiotics kill everything, it doesn't know who the bad guys are. So it weakens your bodies natural ability to fight off the virus.
Take high doese of vitamin C about 1000 miligrams that acts as a killer of germs.
At the first sign of a cold I go into action with high doses of vitamins and old remedies.
most antibiotics fight bacteria, and very few fight viruses. the latter need a "host" - your body - to live in, while bacteria can live independent and thus are easier to eliminate.
the subject is quite complex and interesting, extensive research on the web can be done.