Combating Antibiotic Resistance

An antimicrobial is anything that inhibits or kills microbial cells, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Antibiotics are antimicrobials that target bacteria. They either prevent the reproduction of bacteria or kill bacteria by dissolving the bacteria’s cell membranes or affecting the bacteria’s protein-building or DNA-copying process. Some antibiotics are effective only against specific bacteria while others target a wide range of bacteria.

Besides being used to treat human illnesses, antibio…