Bacteria

1. Describe Bacteria; what is it and how does it make us sick?

Bacteria are a type of pathogen. They are tiny cells with no nucleus and their main function is to survive. They secrete toxins and form colonies. It makes us sick by invading our body.

2. When sick, how does taking an antibiotic help us to feel better?

Taking antibiotics help us feel better because they attack the bacteria. Antibiotics kill bacteria by blocking DNA and RNA synthesis, thus blocking protein synthesis, destroying metabolic pathways, and by breaking down the cell walls which prevent new cells from forming. 3. Describe three types of infectious diseases that would not respond to antibiotics and why.

Three types of infectious diseases that will not respond to antibiotics are poliomyelitis, hantavirus, and west nile disease. All of these diseases are viral. The reasons antibiotics do not affect them is because they have no cell wall to break down, no metabolic pathways to destroy, and no protein synthesis to disrupt.

4. What does ‘antibiotic resistance’ mean? What is it caused by? If you take your antibiotic as

directed, why should you care about antibiotics resistance?

Antibiotic resistance is when bacteria come in contact with a certain antibiotic so

frequently instead of dying from them, it starts to build a resistance from them. This happens by the bacteria changing its cell membrane so the antibiotic can no longer enter it. Also, receptor on bacteria change, therefore antibiotics cannot bind, and bacteria learns how to make enzyme and kill the antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance is caused by the overuse of antibiotics. Taking antibiotics when it is not really needed, by the overused of antibacterial products, and by not taking your antibiotics as directed (not finishing them after you start to feel better.) Even if you do not do any of these things you should still care because other people around you are. If they do these things they are helping bacteria build a resistance,...