Introduction of Antibiotic

Antibiotics are powerful medications used to treat infections caused by bacteria. They work by killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth, helping to cure infections that would otherwise become severe or life-threatening. Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine since their discovery, drastically reducing mortality from bacterial infections. However, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics have led to increasing levels of antibiotic resistance, posing a significant threat to global health.

• Types of Antibiotics:

1. Broad-spectrum Antibiotics:
   These antibiotics work against a wide variety of bacteria, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative. Examples include:
   • Amoxicillin
   • Tetracycline
   • Ciprofloxacin
2. Narrow-spectrum Antibiotics:
   These antibiotics target specific types of bacteria. Examples include:
   • Penicillin G (used mainly against Gram-positive bacteria)
   • Vancomycin (used against resistant Gram-positive bacteria)
3. Bactericidal Antibiotics:
   These kill bacteria by attacking their cell walls or vital cellular functions. Examples include:
   • Penicillin
   • Cephalosporins
   • Aminoglycosides
4. Bacteriostatic Antibiotics:
   These inhibit bacterial growth by interfering with bacterial protein production or DNA replication. Examples include:
   • Tetracycline
   • Sulfonamides
   • Chloramphenicol

• How Antibiotics Work:
• Antibiotics target key processes in bacteria that are essential for their survival and replication. These include:
• Cell wall synthesis inhibition: Prevents bacteria from forming cell walls, leading to cell death (e.g., Penicillin).
• Protein synthesis inhibition: Disrupts bacterial ribosomes, which produce proteins essential for cell function (e.g., Tetracycline).
• DNA replication inhibition: Prevents bacterial DNA replication, halting cell division (e.g., Quinolones).
• Cell membrane disruption: Damages bacterial cell membranes, leading to cell death (e.g., Polymyxins).
  

  Examples of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria:

  1. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): Resistant to many antibiotics, causing serious skin infections.
  2. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE): Often found in hospital-acquired infections.
  3. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE): Highly resistant to most antibiotics and often fatal.
  4. Multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB): Resistant to the two most powerful anti-TB drugs, requiring complex and prolonged treatment.
• Understanding and managing animal infectious diseases is crucial for animal health, public health, and maintaining food security.