Antibiotics

Antibiotics are screened for any negative effects on humans or other mammals before approval for clinical use, and are usually considered safe and most are well tolerated. However, some antibiotics have been associated with a range of adverse side effects. Side-effects range from mild to very serious depending on the antibiotics used, the microbial organisms targeted, and the individual patient. Side effects may reflect the pharmacological or toxicological properties of the antibiotic or may involve hypersensitivity reactions or anaphylaxis. Safety profiles of newer drugs are often not as well established as for those that have a long history of use. Adverse effects range from fever and nausea to major allergic reactions, including photodermatitis and anaphylaxis. Common side-effects include diarrhea, resulting from disruption of the species composition in the intestinal flora, resulting, for example, in overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, such as Clostridium difficile. Antibacterials can also affect the vaginal flora, and may lead to overgrowth of yeast species of the genus Candida in the vulvo-vaginal area. Additional side-effects can result from interaction with other drugs, such as elevated risk of tendon damage from administration of a quinolone antibiotic with a systemic corticosteroid. Some scientists have hypothesized that the indiscriminate use of antibiotics alter the host microbiota and this has been associated with chronic disease.

Question: What are two examples of minor side effects caused by some antibiotics?
Answer: fever and nausea

Question: What causes diarrhea?
Answer: disruption of the species composition in the intestinal flora

Question: What negative effects can antibiotics have on the vaginal area?
Answer: yeast

Question: What is one example of antibiotics that may have a possible side effect of tendon damage?
Answer: a quinolone antibiotic with a systemic corticosteroid

Question: What is one possible serious side effect of over-using antibiotics?
Answer: alter the host microbiota

Question: What are antibiotics screened for on mammals and humans?
Answer: negative effects

Question: What do antibiotics need approval for?
Answer: clinical use

Question: What besides the individual patient is targeted when antibiotics is being used?
Answer: microbial organisms

Question: Photodermatitis, nausea, allergic reactions and anaphylaxis are all what type of side effect?
Answer: Adverse effects

Question: What was altered during the hypothesis of indiscriminate use of antibiotics?
Answer: host microbiota

Question: Why are antibiotics checked before use?
Answer: negative effects on humans or other mammals

Question: Name some adverse effects?
Answer: fever and nausea to major allergic reactions, including photodermatitis and anaphylaxis

Question: Name some side-effects?
Answer: diarrhea

Question: What can happen to vaginal flora?
Answer: overgrowth of yeast

Question: What can happen when antibiotics are used with other drugs?
Answer: Additional side-effects

Question: What are two examples of anitbacterials caused by some antibiotics?

Question: What causes anaphylaxis?

Question: What is one possible side effect of antibiotics that do not have a side effect of tendon damage?

Question: What are antibiotics screened for on microbiota and chronic disease?