Which statement about antibiotics is true?

Which statement about antibiotics is true?

• A. They are effective against bacteria
• B. They are effective against viruses
• C. They are effective against fungi
• D. They are effective against prions

Answer: (A)

Antibiotics work by targeting features unique to bacterial cells—things like the bacterial cell wall or enzymes essential for bacterial growth. Because humans and our cells don’t have those same targets, these medicines can stop bacteria with relatively selective effects. That’s why antibiotics are effective against bacteria but not against viruses, fungi, or prions. Viruses lack their own cellular machinery, so antibiotics don’t disable them; fungi require different drugs called antifungals; prions are misfolded proteins and aren’t treated by antibiotics. So the true statement is that antibiotics are effective against bacteria.

Antibiotics work by targeting features unique to bacterial cells—things like the bacterial cell wall or enzymes essential for bacterial growth. Because humans and our cells don’t have those same targets, these medicines can stop bacteria with relatively selective effects. That’s why antibiotics are effective against bacteria but not against viruses, fungi, or prions. Viruses lack their own cellular machinery, so antibiotics don’t disable them; fungi require different drugs called antifungals; prions are misfolded proteins and aren’t treated by antibiotics. So the true statement is that antibiotics are effective against bacteria.