The word "antibiotics" comes from the Greek anti
("against") and bios ("life"). Antibiotics
are drugs that either destroy bacteria or prevent their reproduction.
Antibiotics that kill bacteria are called "bactericidal" and
the ones that stop the growth of bacteria are called "bacteriostatic".
An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of
bacteria. Antibiotics are one class of antimicrobials, a
larger group which also includes anti-viral, anti-fungal,
and anti-parasitic drugs. Antibiotics are chemicals produced
by or derived from microorganisms (i.e. bugs or germs such
as bacteria and fungi). The first antibiotic was discovered
by Alexander Fleming in 1928 in a significant breakthrough
for medical science.
