immortal Posted March 17, 2007 Posted March 17, 2007 Hi, Today you use an antibiotic, but the next day that antibody will not work. Because Bacteria's have ability to mutate quickly and somehow it will develop an enzyme to destroy the antibody. So Is there any better way to kill the bacteria permanently like attacking the cell parts which do not mutate or else this drama will go forever.
John Cuthber Posted March 17, 2007 Posted March 17, 2007 Yes, bleach, strong acids or bases, phenol or just plain heat will all kill bacteria through mechanisms that are difficult to "evolve around". Unfortunately they also kill human cells so they cannot be used in the same way as antibiotics. The problem is that human cells and bacteria are rather similar so there aren't many ways to get selective toxicity. To get that selectivity you need to exploit relatively subtle aspects of the bacteria and those are the subtle things the bacteria can find ways to work round. (BTW, there's a big difference between antibodies and antibiotics.)
CharonY Posted March 19, 2007 Posted March 19, 2007 cause Bacteria's have ability to mutate quickly and somehow it will develop an enzyme to destroy the antibody. Not quite correct. They mutate (largely) independently on the presence of antibiotics. Antiobiotics only select for the already resistant ones.
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