History repeats itself. Because of this fact, the history of bacterial infections and antibiotics is important. The term antibiotics are derived from the Greek words anti and bios, which mean against life. Antibiotics are derived from living organisms, usually bacteria or molds that kill microorganisms or inhibit their growth (Antibiotics, encarta). The use of molds to help cure infections has been used for thousands of years. The medical records from Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China note this fact. Some of these records date back to 1500 BC. Crude plant extracts, as well as, cheese mold was used for topical treatments for infections (Antibiotics, encarta). William Roberts observed, in 1874, a form of bacteria immunity. He noticed that the mold Penicillium glaucum was immune to bacteria infection. A few years later, Louis Pasteur and Jules Francois Joubert noted that anthrax bacilli failed to grow if cultures became contaminated with airborne molds (Antibiotics, encarta). However, Sir Alexander Fleming made, by far, the

Drugs can also be used in order to slow down the AIDS virus. The drug AZT can be used to slow down the disease, but because of virus mutations, AZT eventually will lose its effectiveness in the patient. The AIDS virus spreads itself into the active genes of the patient and the inactive genes. Anti-AIDS drugs can fight in the active genes, but not in the inactive genes (Reddy).

"Escherichia." GME Grolier. 24 May 2001. .

Another way being used to help the war against resistance is the surveillance system, including the computerized information system. This system is used for the sole purpose of reporting antimicrobial resistant pathogens, detecting resistance, reporting outbreaks, and analyzing information. The surveillance systems, that exist, in some states work as follows. Any outbreaks or knowledge of antibiotic resistant patterns is generally reportable. The health department receives reports from laboratories and health care providers, including doctors and hospitals. Laboratories are currently the best source of reports, when it comes to this vital information. These lab reports are entered into a computer that transmits weekly to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), to be compiled for national statistics. No one really has a good idea of the extent of antibiotic resistance, because it has not been monitored nationally until now. The information that is being compiled will be vital to our future antibiotic use (Dwyer). Researchers noted that surveillance efforts are revealing an all-too familiar problem: increasing levels of antibiotic resistance in a variety of pathogens. The surveillance systems are proven to work when the person who is diagnosed with the new mutated strain of bacteria, can be helped with just one treatment of antibiotics. This eliminates the process of trying to find the best antibiotic to prescribe for this bacterium. This is because the information provided by the surveillance systems to the CDC can report their findings to all labs (Stephernson).

The seventh group is glycopeptides. Glycopeptides are used to treat infections caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococci. They are also used for people who are allergic to penicillin that have a serious staphylococcus or streptococcus infection (Clark, 541).

The first is the penicillin group. This group includes the antibiotic penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, and the many others that end in cillin. The penicillin group is used to fight off bacteria that cause streptococcus (strep), staphylococci (staph), and meningococcus. Other diseases that can be treated from these antibiotics are syphilis, gonorrhea, meningitis, anthrax, and yaws. Side effects that are possible from taking these antibiotics include skin rashes, fever, and anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic shock can be fatal and is caused by an allergic reaction (Antibiotics, gme).

Meanwhile, in 1939, Rene Dubos isolated and purified an antibiotic from a bacterium in soil. When applied to superficial wounds the bacteria worked well. However, it was too toxic for ingestion. In 1944, Selman Abraham Waksman was able to isolate streptomycin from a soil microbe. Streptomycin was successful in treating tubercle bacillus (Antibiotics, gme).

· Take your medication until it is completely gone. Do not stop taking your medication just because you feel better.

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Approximate Pages = 16 (250 words per page double spaced)