Antibiotics are one of the most under-appreciated miracles of modern medicine. Before antibiotics came along, a simple infection might quickly become life-threatening. Because bacteria can multiply so quickly, there wasn’t any way to help control the progression of illness if the immune system wasn’t able to keep up. Antibiotics have probably saved more lives than any other human invention, sharing that distinction with vaccinations and better hygiene and sanitation practices.
Unfortunately, we’re starting to lose grip on this miracle of modern medicine. Bacteria, like all lifeforms, quickly adapt to their surroundings, and overuse of antibiotics is speeding up the evolution of antibiotic resistance. We now have ‘superbugs’ that are immune to most or all of the antibiotics we have to offer, and development of new antibiotics hasn’t kept up with the pace of resistance.
What are antibiotics?
Antibiotics are derived from molds and funguses that have antimicrobial properties. Essentially, humans are taking advantage of organisms found in nature that have built their own defenses to kill bacteria, and then concentrating these antibacterial agents to use them against the pathogens that infect us.
Additional information on antibiotics: