Penicillin

The 20th century saw a series of remarkable discoveries that changed the face of medical practice. Among the most important was the discovery of antimicrobial agents, beginning with the synthesis of arsphenamine by Paul Ehrlich as the century dawned [1]. With this discovery, the dreaded scourge of syphilis was brought under control, although not eradicated. However, the toxicity of the drug made it less than ideal as an antimicrobial agent. Shortly thereafter, optochin (ethyl cupreine) was tried…

Antibiotics have become such a commonly used medicine; some may consider it as regularly used as Tylenol. This thought does not seem that outrageous, but the overuse of antibiotics is quite an epidemic. Antibiotic use is even more of a worry because of the fact that people ignore the need to act on the problem of over-prescribing antibiotics to patients. Some people believe the over-prescription of antibiotics by doctors is not a detriment to society and their immune systems, but rather a…

Meningitis is an infection that causes swelling of the meninges, the membrane that covers and protects the brain and spinal cord that can be viral, bacterial and even fungal but very rare. It is most commonly a viral infection first followed by bacterial infection. Viral Meningitis is a mild form and can clear up on it's own and is caused by a group of viruses known as enteroviruses. These viruses can be spread through food, water, or contaminated objects. Several strains of bacteria can cause…

resistance to antibiotics, labelled 'the superbugs '. We now a see the emergence of diseases that were once a thing of the past, sparking a worldwide panic. In 1929, microbiologist Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, a naturally growing substance that could destroy certain types of bacteria. Penicillin is a mould that disintegrates the cell walls of bacteria, and after years of testing on animals and humans scientists were able to use it in the form of a tablet or an injection on infected…

concentration reaches optimal levels. The last method of resistance is to mutate the intend target of the antibiotic. Penicillin interacts with serine residues to inhibit the enzyme transpeptidase, which is made by the bacteria. If resistance is built, then the bacteria mutates the enzyme transpeptidase. This mutation makes transpeptidase unrecognizable to the penicillin, effectively making penicillin inadequate (Salyers 28). Continuing to use the same antibiotics will no longer be effective,…

kill the bacteria that were harmful to us. The first discovery was an accident by Alexander Fleming in the late 1920’s. After leaving some Staphylococcus in a Petri dish, he noticed that some mold had killed this bacterium. He ended up naming this Penicillin, which came from the name of the mold that had killed the bacteria. Although he did not understand exactly how the mold was killing off the bacteria, he still published his findings, and scientists Howard Florey and Ernest Chain figured out…

for studying in medical school. Moreover, in 1903, he graduated for bachelor of medicine and surgery (Famous Scientists, 2015). In fact, this man, Alexander Fleming, discovered the penicillin, and he had award for this discover. First of all, Fleming was a Scottish bacteriologist and he discover the penicillin. In 1914, World war one happened in the world. Army took Fleming to work in field hospital in France.…

It has come our attention you contracted a MRSA infection after receiving care at Mercy Hospital. The surgical team wished to send you our regards while including information to help you understand MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant organisms. First, a MRSA infection is like any other bacterial infection. Because it is caused by a microorganism that invades the body. The name MRSA, is an acronym for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. If something sounds familiar it may be because…

Antibiotic sensitivity Introduction: Initially, when treating patients for bacterial infections it is important to understand the type of microorganism being dealt with and what type of antibiotic will kill it. There are three main characteristics that scientists look for in useful antibiotics: the toxicity, manufacturing, and its ability to work and be expelled safely. First, is the ability of the antibiotic reaching its target with minimal toxicity to the patient. The second characteristic is…

bacteria from reproducing. This is achieved by stopping vital processes essential to their survival. They involve a wide range of medicine and are either naturally occurring or synthesised, which means made chemically, in a lab. The first Antibiotic, Penicillin was discovered in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming. This sparked…