Antibiotics help to stop infections caused by different bacteria. They slow down or kill the growth of bacteria. Before its discovery, Humans were dying for thousands of years. But, after the discovery of antibiotics even complex infections and diseases could be treated. The introduction of Antibiotics in the medical sector changed the way infectious diseases were treated. After this human life expectancy increased by 8 years.
Various Moulds and plant extract were used to treat infection by various ancient civilization like Egypt, Nubia, China, Greece etc. In 1928 Alexander Fleming
Discovered penicillin. He observed that the fungus, Penicillium Notatum contaminated a culture plate of staphylococcus bacteria. The Fungus created bacteria-free zones. He isolated and grew the mould in pure culture. The fungus was effective at very low concentrations too. After different trials scientists and other pharmaceutical companies ensured that the mass production of penicillin was possible. Around 1939 scientist started working potential antibiotic product. After 1944 new antibiotics like actinomycin, neomycin, viomycin and many more were discovered. Since 1970 the antibiotics produced are the synthetic modification of naturally occurring antibiotics.
Antibiotics nowadays comes in various forms like tablet, cream, ointment, capsules. Antibiotics fight infection by killing or slowing or suspending its growth. It is done by attacking the wall or coating of bacteria, by interfering with bacteria reproduction or by blocking protein production. Most bacteria live in our body but sometimes they can infect almost any part of the body. Due to antibiotics untreatable and life-threatening infections are now easily treated. Diseases like tonsillitis, bronchitis and pneumonia which were life threatening if left untreated, but with antibiotics chances of survival increase. Infections like sinus infection, dental infection, skin infection, Bladder infection, kidney infection and whooping cough can be treated. It has improved quality of life. Everybody has been more likely to be benefited from the discovery. Antibiotics work on different kinds of bacteria. They are called broad spectrum. Others are target specific bacteria only, they are known as “Narrow Spectrum”.
In early times many antibiotics were produced by bacteria found in soil. Today all antibiotics are produced in lab. Some are made through series of chemical reactions. There are also some antibiotics that are partially made through natural but concealed process. Antibiotics are manufactured using some raw material called “fermentation Broth”. The broth contains carbon sources like molasses or soy milk. Nitrogen is another important ingredient required while manufacturing it. Antibiotics are manufactures by the fermentation process. Manufacturing process includes steps like isolating of the required microorganism, fueling the growth of culture and refining and isolating the final product. It is important that sterile conditions are maintained throughout the manufacturing process, because contamination by foreign particles can ruin the fermentation process.
The development of new antibiotics is crucial to controlling current and future infectious disease caused by antibiotic resistance bacteria. A new class of Antibiotic was announced -odilorhabin (ODL) are produced by symbiotic bacteria of nematode worm. A development has spurred a revived interest in the development of new antibiotic. It turns out that `some of the disease-causing bacteria have mutated and developed resistance to many standard antibiotics. This could have grave consequences on the health of people unless new antibiotics are available. This problem will be the focus of research for the scientists
Antibiotics are proven to be powerful for fighting infections but overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibacterial resistance. Bacteria adapt over the time and then they change there properties so that antibiotics no longer work on them.
Antibiotic has supported and helped the medical sector very well. But now people have started misusing them. They are now having harmful effects on human body. In a time span of half a century we have exhausted, overused and abused antibiotics. We have used them with freedom in a very uncontrollable manner. Assuming that antibiotics can help us every time and if a problem occurs pharmaceutical industry would simply give up because now even the strongest antibiotics don’t appear to work. Experts now say we are on the verge of entering the post antibiotic world. If we ran out of the effective antibiotic, the medical field would be taken aback by decades. Even minor surgeries could become life threatening. Antibiotics are used in a limited way on patients during surgery so they do not contract any infection from bacteria through open cuts. Without such precautions, the risk of blood poisoning would become much higher, and many complex surgeries doctor perform today won’t be possible.
