Antibiotics are medications used to treat bacterial infections. They work by either killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth. They are available in many forms, including tablets, capsules, liquids, creams, and injections. Antibiotics can be classified into two broad categories: broad-spectrum antibiotics and narrow-spectrum antibiotics. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are effective against a wide range of bacteria, while narrow-spectrum antibiotics are effective against fewer types of bacteria .The discovery of antibiotics is largely credited to Alexander Fleming. In September 1928, Fleming was studying staphylococci, a type of bacteria, when he noticed that a mould that had contaminated one of his Petri dishes had killed many of the bacteria. After further investigation, Fleming was able to isolate the penicillin mould and eventually developed a method to produce large amounts of the antibiotic. Since then, a number of antibiotics have been discovered and developed, including ampicillin, tetracycline, and ciprofloxacin.
Common side effects of antibiotics include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- Rashes or other skin reactions
- Headache
- Vaginal itching or discharge
- Fungal or yeast infections
- Allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis
- Clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection
- Kidney damage or failure