Why are antibiotics only used to kill bacteria but not virus?!


Question: Why are antibiotics only used to kill bacteria but not virus?
Answers:

Because they have no effect on viruses: viruses are not the same as bacteria. A virus contains genetic material, lacks the necessary ribosomes to reproduce outside a host cell. Bacteria have a full cell structure and don't need a host cell in order to reproduce. An antibiotic specifically attacks bacteria, usually by attacking the cell walls or preventing them from reproducing. Generally the body produces antibodies to counteract the virus. They are two different life-forms: it would be like expecting a fly-spray to work against a cat.



Medicines that kill bacteria are traditionally called antibiotics (or antibacterials). Medicines that kill viruses are called antivirals. In the big scheme of things, you could say they are both antimicrobials, along with chemicals that kill fungus, etc.

Bacteria and viruses are different kinds of living things (by the classical definition, viruses are not even technically living!) and must be targeted in different ways. Viruses generally do not take a cellular form. So, antibiotics and antivirals are different types of chemicals, and they take different names. But it's partly just an accident of history: Bacteria were discovered much earlier than viruses, since they are bigger.



Bacteria is a living organism, while viruses aren't and they can't be cured, just have to treat them and let them pass.



Bacteria is a living thing, that's why it can kill them. Viruses are not.




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