Question

Why different group of pathogens need different antibiotics

Answer 1

A single antibiotic cannot kill all pathogens.

Generally an antibiotic attack specific mechanism of the pathogen.The mode of action of antibiotic may vary from pathogen to pathogen.

Mode of action of antibiotic;

Antibiotic may affect any of the following processes to nullify the pathogen.

• Synthesis of RNA
• Synthesis of DNA
• Protein synthesis
• Cell wall synthesis
• Metabolism

Certain antibiotics act using certain mode of action responsible to kill a particular pathogen.The same antibiotic may not necessarily kill other pathogens because the other pathogens may have different mechanism of survival which cannot be inhibited by this particular antibiotic.

Eg: Virus have a totally different mechanism of replication than bacteria.Hence bacteria killing antibiotics may not necessarily destroy viruses.