Antibiotics-an Investigatory Project 1114z

ANTIBIOTICS-AN INVESTIGATORY PROJECT Antibiotics are Chemical Substances that produce chemicals to produce new microorganisms in order to inhibit or surpress growth of other micoorganisms(Bacteria, Fungi or Protozoa) The term antibiotic was first used in 1942 by Selman Waksman and his collaborators in journal articles to describe any substance produced by a microorganism that is antagonistic to the growth of other microorganisms in high dilution. With advances in medicinal chemistry, most modern antibacterials are semisynthetic modifications of various natural compounds.[4] These include, for example, the beta-lactam antibiotics, which include the penicillins (produced by fungi in the genus Penicillium), the cephalosporins, and the carbapenems. Compounds that are still isolated from living organisms are the aminoglycosides, whereas other antibacterials—for example, the sulfonamides, the quinolones, and the oxazolidinones—are produced solely by chemical synthesis. In accordance with this, many antibacterial compounds are classified on the basis of chemical/biosynthetic origin into natural, semisynthetic, and synthetic. Another classification system is based on biological activity; in this classification, antibacterials are divided into two broad groups according to their biological effect on microorganisms: Bactericidal agents kill bacteria, and bacteriostatic agents slow down or stall bacterial growth.

History of Antibiotics History of antibiotics can be described in two segments as under:

Early History During ancient times; 

Greeks and Indians used moulds and other plants to treat infections.

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In Greece and Serbia, bread mould was traditionally used to treat wounds and infections.

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Warm soil was used in Russia by peasants to cure infected wounds.

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Sumerian doctors gave patients beer soup mixed with turtle shells and snake skins.

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Babylonian doctors healed the eyes using a mixture of frog bile and sour milk.

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Sri Lankan army used oil cake (sweetmeat) to server both as desiccant and antibacterial.

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MODERN HISTORY

Year Origin

Description

John Parkington recommended using mold for 1640 England treatment in his book on pharmacology Sir John Scott Burdon-Sanderson observed that culture fluid covered with mould did not produce 1870 England bacteria Joseph Lister experimented with the antibacterial action on human tissue on what he called 1871 England Penicillium glaucium John Tyndall explained antibacterial action of the 1875 England Penicillium fungus to the Royal Society 1877

Louis Pasteur postulated that bacteria could kill other bacteria (anthrax bacilli)

1897

Ernest Duchesne healed infected guinea pigs from typhoid using mould (Penicillium glaucium)

Sir Alexander Fleming discovered enzyme lysozyme and the antibiotic substance penicillin 1928 England from the fungus Penicillium notatum Gerhard Domagk 1932 Sulfonamidochrysoidine (Prontosil )

discovered

During 1940's and 50's streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline were discovered and Selman Waksman used the term "antibiotics" to describe them (1942). Reason for discovery: - this was the period of world war 2. So as to serve injured soldiers and to treat them quickly, scientists searched for new cure. Thus soon, after many new antibiotics were discovered.

THE DISCOVERY OF PENICILLIN In 1928, bacteriologist Alexander Fleming made a chance discovery from an already discarded, contaminated Petri dish. The mold that had contaminated the experiment turned out to contain a powerful antibiotic, penicillin. However, though Fleming was credited with the discovery, it was over a decade before someone else turned penicillin into the miracle drug for the 20th century. Penicillin (sometimes abbreviated PCN or pen) is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi,[1] including penicillin G (IV use), penicillin V (oral use), procaine penicillin, and benzathine penicillin (intramuscular use). Penicillin antibiotics were among the first drugs to be effective against many previously serious diseases, such as syphilis and infections caused by staphylococci and streptococci. Penicillins are still widely used today, though misuse has now made many types of bacteria resistant. All penicillins are β-lactam antibiotics and are used in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by susceptible, usually Gram-positive, organisms.

Classification of antibiotics

Classifications A common scheme of classifications for antibiotics is drawn below:

Antibiotics can also be classified based on their chemical structure. A similar level of effectiveness, toxicity and side-effects is rendered by the antibiotics of same structural group. Broad spectrum antibiotics are effective against a broad range of microorganisms in comparison to narrow spectrum antibiotics. Bactericidal antibiotics kill the bacteria whereas bacteriostatic antibiotics halt the growth of bacteria.

TYPES OF ANTIBIOTICS These are the main classes of antibiotics.       

Penicillin such as penicillin and amoxicillin Cephalosporins such as cephalexin(Keflex) Macrolides such as erythromycin (E-Mycin), clarithromycin (Biaxin), andazithromycin (Zithromax) Fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin(Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), andofloxacin (Floxin) Sulfonamides such as co-trimoxazole (Bactrim) and trimethoprim (Proloprim) Tetracyclines such as tetracycline(Sumycin, Panmycin) and doxycycline(Vibramycin) Aminoglycosides such as gentamicin (Garamycin) and tobramycin (Tobrex) Most antibiotics have 2 names, the trade or brand name, created by the drug company that manufactures the drug, and a generic name, based on the antibiotic's chemical structure or chemical class. Trade names such as Keflex and Zithromax are capitalized. Generics such as cephalexin and azithromycin are not capitalized.

MAJOR ANTIBIOTICS Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

ICD Code

Daptomycin

500mg

Injection

Y40.9

Meropenem

125mg/Vial, 250mg/Vial, 500mg/Vial, 1000mg/Vial

Injection

Y40.9

Nitrofurazone

0.2%/1gm

Cream, Ointment, Powder

Y56

Polymyxin, Bacitracin and Neomycin

3.5gm,

Eye Drops, Ointment

Y40.9

Procaine/ Penicillin

600,000 to 1,000,000 units/day

Injection

Y40.0

Rifaximin

200mg, 550mg, 400mg

Tablets

Roxithromycin

50mg, 150mg

Tablets

Y40

Sisomicin

3mg/3ml

Eye drops

Y40

Spiramycin

0.375 MIU x 5 mL x 60ml

Suspension

Y40

Sultamicillin

250mg, 375mg

Tablets

Y40

Teicoplanin

200mg, 400mg/vial

Injection

Y40

Telavancin

250 or 750mg/vial

Injection

Y40

Telithromycin

400mg

Tabletss

Y40

Cephalosporins Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

ICD Code

Cefaclor

250mg, 500mg

Capsule

Y40.1

Cefaclor

125mg/5ml, 187mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml, 375mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.1

Cefadroxil

500mg, 1g

Capsule,Tablet

Y40.1

Cefamandole

1g, 2g/Vial

Injection

Y40.1

Cefazolin

1g/50ml

Injection

Y40.1

Cefdinir

300mg

Capsule

Y40.1

Cefdinir

125mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.1

Cefditoren

200 and 400mg.

Tablets

Y40.1

Cefepime

500mg, 1g, 2g/Vial

Injection

Y40.1

Cefetamet

Y40.1

Cefixime

100mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.1

Cefoperazone Sodium Injection

10 g/Vial

Injection

Y40.1

Cefotaxime

500mg, 1g, 2g/Vial

Injection

Y40.1

Cefotetan

1g, 2g/Vial

Injection

Y40.1

1g, 2g, 10g/Vial

Cefoxitin

Injection

Cefpirome

Y40.1

Y40.1

Cefpodoxmine Proxetil

100g, 200g

Tablets, Oral Suspension

Y40.1

Cefprozil

250mg, 500mg

Tablet

Y40.1

Cefprozil

125mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.1

Ceftaroline Fosamil Injection

400g, 600g/Vial

Injection

Y40.1

Ceftazidime

1g, 2g, 10g/Vial

Injection

Y40.1

Ceftibuten

400mg

Capsules and Oral Suspension

Y40.1

Ceftriaxone

500mg, 1g/Vial

Injection

Y40.1

Cefuroxime

125mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.1

Cefuroxime axetil

125mg, 250mg, 500mg

Tablet

Y40.1

Cephalexin

250mg, 500mg

Capsule, Tablet

Y40.1

Cephalexin

125mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.1

Cephradine

250mg, 500mg

Capsule

Y40.1

Cephradine

125mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.1

Fluoroquinolones Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

Gatifloxacin

200-mg and 400-mg

Tablets , Injection,

Lomefloxacin

400mg

Tablet

Pefloxacin

400mg, 0.3%/5ml, 400mg/100ml, 100mg/50ml

Tablet, Drop, Injecion

Sparfloxacin

100mg, 200mg

Tablets

Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

ICD Code Y40.3

Azithromycin

1000mg

Packet

Y40.3

Azithromycin

250mg, 600mg

Tablet

Y40.3

Azithromycin

100mg/5ml, 200mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.3

Azithromycin

2g/60ml

Suspension

Y40.3

Clarithromycin

250mg, 500mg

Tablet

Y40.3

Clarithromycin

125mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.3

Clarithromycin

500mg

Tablet

Y40.3

Erythromycin

250mg, 333mg, 500mg

Capsule, Tablet

Y40.3

Erythromycin

40mg/ml, 200mg/5ml, 400mg/5ml

Drops, Suspension

Y40.3

Erythromycin Estolate

250mg

Capsule

Y40.3

Erythromycin Estolate

125mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.3

Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

200mg, 400mg

Chewtab, Tablet

Y40.3

Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate/Sulfisoxazole

40mg/ml, 200mg/5ml,400mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.3

Erythromycin Stearate

250mg, 500mg

Tablet

Y40.3

Fidaxomicin

200mg

Tablet

Y40.3

Troleandomycin

250mg

Capsules

Y40.3

Macrolides Monocyclic Beta-lactam Antibiotic Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

ICD Code

Aztreonam

1 g/vial, 2 g/vial

Injection

Y40.1

Doripenem

500mg/1vial

Injection

Y40.1

penicillins Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

ICD Code

Amoxicillin

250mg, 500mg

Capsule

Y40.0

Amoxicillin

50mg/ml, 125mg/5ml, 200mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml, 400mg/5ml

Drops, Suspension

Y40.0

Amoxicillin

125mg, 200mg, 250mg, 400mg

Chewable Tablet

Y40.0

Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium

250mg/125mg, 1000mg/62.5mg

Tablet

Y40.0

Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium

500mg/125mg, 875mg/125mg

Tablet

Y40.0

Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium

125mg/31.5mg, 25mg/62.5mg

Chewable Tablet

Y40.0

Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium

200mg/28.3mg, 400mg/57mg

Chewable Tablet

Y40.0

Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium

125mg/31.25mg/5ml, 250mg/62.5mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.0

Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium

200mg-28.5mg/5ml, 400mg-57mg/5ml,

Suspension

Y40.0

Amoxicillin and Clavulanic acid

125 mg/5 mL, 200 mg/5 mL, 250 mg/5 mL, 400 mg/5 mL, 125-mg, 200-mg , 250-mg, 400-mg , 500-mg, 875-mg

Tablets, Oral Suspension

Y40.0

Ampicillin

250mg, 500mg

Capsule

Y40.0

Ampicillin

125mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.0

Ampicillin and Sulbactam

1.5 g, 3 g vials

Injection

Y40.0 Y40.0

Bacampicillin Bacitracin (Neomycin/Polymyxin B) Opthalmic

1/2 oz

Ointment

Y40.0

Dicloxacillin

250mg, 500mg

Capsule

Y40.0 Y40.0

Mezlocillin sodium Oxacillin Injection

1gm, 2gm

Injection

Y40.0

Oxacillin Injection

1gm/50ml, 2gm/50ml

Injection

Y40.0

Penicillin VK

250mg, 500mg

Tablet

Y40.0

Penicillin VK

125mg/5ml, 250mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.0

Piperacillin/Tazobactam

4000mg/500mg/Vial, 1000mg/125mg/Vial, 2000mg/250mg/Vial

Injection

Y40.0

Quinolones Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

ICD Code

Balofloxacin

100mg

Tablets

Y41.8

Ciprofloxacin

250mg, 500mg, 750mg

Tablet

Y41.8

Ciprofloxacin

250mg/5ml, 500mg/5ml

Suspension

Y41.8

Garenoxacin Mesylate

Y41.8

Levofloxacin

250mg, 500mg

Tablet

Y41.8

Nalidixic Acid

125mg, 300mg, 150mg, 300mg/5ml

Tablet, Suspension, Syrup

Y41.8

Sulfonamides Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

ICD Code Y41.0

Sulfadiazine

500mg

Tablet

Y41.0

Sulfisoxazole

500mg

Tablet

Y41.0

Sulfisoxazole

500mg/5ml

Suspension

Y41.0

Sulfisoxazole/Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

600mg+200mg/5ml

Suspension

Y41.0

Sulfisoxazole/Phenazopyridine

500mg + 50mg

Tablet

Y41.0

Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole

80mg/400mg

Tablet

Y41.0

Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole

40mg+200mg/5ml

Suspension

Y41.0

Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole DS

160mg/800mg

Tablet

Y41.0

Tetracyclines Generic Name(S)

Strength

Dosage Form

ICD Code

Demeclocycline

150mg, 300mg

Tablet

Y40.4

Doxycycline

50mg, 100mg

Capsule, Tablet,

Y40.4

Doxycycline

25mg/5ml, 50mg/5ml

Suspension, Syrup

Y40.4

Minocycline

50mg, 75mg, 100mg

Capsule

Y40.4

Oxytetracycline

250mg, 500mg, 50mg/1ml, 10mg/1gm, 30mg/1gm

Capsule, Injection, Ointment

Y40.4

Tetracycline

250mg, 500mg

Capsule, Tablet

Y40.4

Tetracycline

125mg/5ml

Suspension

Y40.4

WORKING OF ANTIBIOTICS When should you take antibiotics? Antibiotics are prescribed for illnesses caused by bacteria, not by viruses. The common cold and flu are caused by viruses, not by bacteria. Antibiotics do not work against viruses. When used prudently, antibiotics are a powerful medical tool to thwart bacterial diseases. Prudent use includes taking antibiotics only for diagnosed bacterial infections and following the precise directions on the prescript. What is the proper dosage? Prescriptions are written to cover the time needed to help your body fight all the harmful bacteria. If you stop your antibiotic early, the bacteria that have not yet been killed can restart an infection. Leftover antibiotics are not a complete dose, and they will not work to kill all your disease causing bacteria. Taking partial doses can select for the bacteria that are resistant. Always talk to your doctor because your symptoms may not be caused by bacteria. If you do have another bacterial infection, a complete dose of the appropriate antibiotic is needed to kill all the harmful bacteria. How safe are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are generally safe and should always be taken as prescribed by your doctor; however,  



Antibiotics may alter the effectiveness of other medications and cause side effects or allergic reactions. Antibiotics can kill most of the bacteria in your body that are sensitive to them, including good bacteria. By destroying the bacterial balance, it may cause stomach upsets, diarrhea, vaginal infections, or other problems. If you take antibiotics unnecessarily you may contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. If you become sick and your bacteria are resistant to your prescribed antibiotic, your illness lasts longer and you may have to make return office and pharmacy visits to find the right drug to kill the germ. For more serious infections it is possible that you would need to be hospitalized or could even die if the infection could not be stopped. Also, while the resistant bacteria are still alive, you act as a carrier of these germs, and you could them to friends or family .

How does a physician decide which antibiotic to prescribe?

The type of antibiotic your doctor prescribes to treat your infection depends on the type of bacteria causing that infection. Most bacteria fall into two types: Gram-positive and Gram-negative. These classifications are based, basically, on the type of cell wall that the bacteria has. Gram-positive bacteria -- such as Streptococcus -- have thin, easily permeable, singlelayered cell walls. Gram-negative bacteria -- such as E. coli -- have thicker, less penetrable, two-layer cell walls. For an antibiotic to successfully treat a bacterial infection, it needs to be able to penetrate either or both types of bacterial cell walls. What should women know before taking antibiotics? 



Antibiotics often lead to a vaginal yeast infection. Because antibiotics kill the normal bacteria in the vagina, yeast no longer have competition for food and grow rapidly. Yeast cells begin attacking tissues in the vagina, usually causing one or all of the following symptoms: itching, burning, pain during sex and vaginal discharge. If you think you have a yeast infection, consult a physician. Antibiotics may reduce the efficacy of birth control pills.

.

SOME ANTIBIOTICS WITH THEIR FUNCTIONS

A STUDY……

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE Can you imagine a day when antibiotics don't work anymore? It's concerning to think that the antibiotics that we depend upon for everything from skin and ear infections to life-threatening bloodstream infections could no longer work. Unfortunately, the threat of untreatable infections is very real.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when germs outsmart drugs. In today's healthcare and community settings, we are already seeing germs stronger than the drugs we have to treat them. This is an extremely scary situation for patients and healthcare workers alike. So, what is fueling antibiotic resistance, you may ask? We're finding that the widespread overuse and incorrect prescribing practices are significant problems. In addition to driving drug resistance, these poor practices introduce unnecessary side effects, allergic reactions, and serious diarrheal infections caused by Clostridium difficile. These complications of antibiotic therapy can have serious outcomes, even death. According to CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network, a growing number of healthcare-associated infections are caused by bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. These include: MRSA, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant K. pneumonia (and K. oxytoca), E. coli and Enterobacter spp., carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa, carbapenem-resistant K. pneumonia (and K. oxytoca), E. coli, and Enterobacter spp

HOW TO PREVENT SUCH CONDITION:Patients can: 

Ask if tests will be done to make sure the right antibiotic is prescribed.



Take antibiotics exactly as the doctor prescribes. Do not skip doses. Complete the prescribed course of treatment, even when you start feeling better.



Only take antibiotics prescribed for you; do not share or use leftover antibiotics. Antibiotics treat specific types of infections. Taking the wrong medicine may delay correct treatment and allow bacteria to multiply.



Do not save antibiotics for the next illness. Discard any leftover medication once the prescribed course of treatment is completed.

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Do not ask for antibiotics when your doctor thinks you do not need them. antibiotics have side effects.

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Prevent infections by practicing good hand hygiene and getting recommended vaccines.

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Healthcare providers can: 

Prescribe antibiotics correctly – get cultures, start the right drug promptly at the right dose for the right duration. Reassess the prescription within 48 hours based on tests and patient exam.

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Document the dose, duration and indication for every antibiotic prescription.

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Stay aware of antibiotic resistance patterns in your facility.

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Participate in and lead efforts within your hospital to improve prescribing practices.

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Follow hand hygiene and other infection control measures with every patient.

Healthcare Facility s and Payers Can: To protect patients and preserve the power of antibiotics, hospital CEOs/medical officers can: 

Adopt an antibiotic stewardship program that includes, at a minimum, this checklist: 1. Leadership commitment: Dedicate necessary human, financial, and IT resources. 2. ability: Appoint a single leader responsible for program outcomes. Physicians have proven successful in this role. 3. Drug expertise: Appoint a single pharmacist leader to improved prescribing. 4. Action: Take at least one prescribing improvement action, such as requiring reassessment within 48 hours to check drug choice, dose, and duration.

5. Tracking: Monitor prescribing and antibiotic resistance patterns. 6. Reporting: Regularly report to staff prescribing and resistance patterns, and steps to improve. 7. Education: Offer education about antibiotic resistance and improving prescribing practices. 

Work with other health care facilities to prevent infections, transmission, and resistance.

DRAWBACKS OF ANTIBIOTICS 1. They have side effects that can sometimes prove to be more difficult to manage than the ailment they are meant to cure. 2. They destroy friendly bacteria along with disease-causing bacteria. The body needs friendly bacteria for a number of processes like detoxification, easy elimination of wastes and cleansing of the blood and the liver. 3. Over-use of antibiotics lead to their becoming ineffective due to bacterial mutation. Simply stated, it means that certain bacteria get used to a particular antibiotic and start using it for their own benefit. Penicillin and tetracycline are classic examples of how antibiotics become redundant for killing some bacterium.

4. Children who receive broad-spectrum antibiotics during their first year of life are at increased risk of developing childhood asthma. 5. Broad Spectrum antibiotics may give rise to drug resistance. 6. Antibiotics at are constant threat of vaginal infections and may cause malfunctioning of reproductive organs.

SIDE EFFECTS OF ANTIBIOTICS- RESEARCH WORK

New research, undertaken at Harvard University, indicates how long-term treatment with common antibiotics can trigger harmful side effects. Doctors often prescribe antibiotics freely, thinking that they harm bacteria while leaving human tissue unscathed. A studied published in July 2013 suggests this is not the case. The research study has found that certain antibiotics, when used over a prolonged period of time, can trigger a phenomenon called oxidative stress. This effect is a condition in which human cells can be programmed into producing chemically reactive oxygen molecules. For the killing of the desired microorganism this is effective; however the damage caused to the DNA, enzymes and cell membranes of the bacteria can also affect the body’s own cells. As well as killing bacteria, the oxidizing process can negatively affect parts of body cells calledmitochondria. These function to supply human cells with energy. This was seen with three common antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, ampicillin and kanamycin. Oxidative stress reflects an imbalance between reactive oxygen in the body and the body’s ability to readily detoxify the by-products or to repair the resulting damage. The concern was shown in studies on mice, where use of the three antibiotics led to signs that the lipids (fats) in the mice became damaged as well as leading to levels of glutathione, one of the body's natural antioxidants, to fall. Commenting on the findings, Dr. Don Ingber, head of the institute which led the study, is quoted by theAlternative Daily as saying: "Doctors have known for years that antibiotics occasionally cause serious side effects and Jim's new findings offer not one but two exciting new strategies that could address this long-neglected public health problem." The researchers behind the study have speculated whether an antioxidant, such as Nacetylcysteine, could be used to reduce the impact of the antibiotic. However, this raises concerns about people consuming a potentially harmful chemical. The research was carried out by the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University under a team led by Dr. Jim Collins.

SIDE EFFECTS:Antibiotics are a family of medications used to treat bacterial infections, fungal infections and some parasites. Numerous side effects are associated with antibiotic use and extremely high doses of antibiotics can have severe consequences.

Respiratory Side Effects antibiotics can cause allergy-like symptoms such as wheezing and difficulty breathing. In severe cases taking too many antibiotics can prevent a person from breathing altogether. A severe allergy to

antibiotics can lead to anaphylaxis, a condition characterized by swelling of the throat, the inability to breathe and extremely low blood pressure..

Skin Side Effects Side effects of an antibiotic overdose that affect the skin include skin rash, pale skin and bluish lips and fingernails.

Intestinal Side Effects Side effects of antibiotics that affect the intestines include an upset stomach and diarrhea. An antibiotic overdose can also cause nausea, abdominal pain and cramping.

Additional Side Effects vaginal yeast infections in women as a common side effect of antibiotic therapy. More severe side effects include damage to the kidneys, liver, bone marrow and other organs. Severe reactions to an antibiotic overdose include fever, convulsions, chest pain and an increased risk of collapsing. ANTIBIOTICS DURING PREGNANCY-BAD IDEA 



Recent research shows children whose mothers took antibiotics during their pregnancy were more likely to develop asthma, compared to those whose mother did not take antibiotics Children predisposed to asthma due to their mother having the condition were twice as likely to develop asthma if their mother used antibiotics during the third trimester, compared to those whose mother did not use antibiotics

This suggests that women should try to avoid antibiotics during their pregnancy unless necessary and prescribed by a medical practitioner.

ANTIBIOTICS MAY AFFECT SPREM QUALITY

University of Nevada researchers revealed that tetracycline – a common antibiotic, may have an effect not just on a male’s sperm viability, but his children’s sperm viability as well. Authors of the study istered the antibiotic tetracycline to a type of scorpion, and compared their reproductive function, sperm health, sperm count, and body size to scorpions that were not given the antibiotic. Next, the scientists observed these factors in the small scorpions’ offspring. They discovered that reproductive function and sperm health were significantly reduced up to 15% by tetracycline for both father and son. The findings’ implications may be more complex than they appear at first glance, because tetracycline is widely used in agriculture as an additive in animal feed. This suggests that more men may be affected by this than those prescribed the medication to fight infection. The researchers advise that individuals concerned about sperm quality and sexual health may want to consider choosing organic food products and talking to their doctor about appropriate antibiotic use, such as cutting back on tetracycline intake.