Antibiotics Trivia Quiz

Answer: mercury

Although most antibiotics in current use were discovered in the 20th century, remedies with antimicrobial effect were utilized for centuries. The use of mercury for the treatment of syphilis was an example of the cure potentially being worse than the disease. One of the first antibiotics synthesized was Salvarsan, an arsenic-based compound discovered by Paul Ehrlich in 1910.

He was hoping to find a therapy for sleeping sickness but instead this chemical was effective against early syphilis. It could be deadly in advanced syphilis, however.

Answer: Alexander Fleming

And the rest, as they say, is history. The mold elaborated a substance which killed the bacteria - we know the substance as penicillin. This story may be a bit apocryphal. The strain of Penicillium that yields the drug is not a common mold, and may have blown up to Fleming's lab from another lab feverishly working on the same idea.

Answer: Bacteria

The bacterial genus Streptomyces has yielded several helpful chemicals. Although it is not commonly used currently, streptomycin is injected intramuscularly and is useful in the treatment of tuberculosis. Streptomycetes are soil organisms. Of note, Nobel-prize awardee Selman Waksman, who discovered streptomycin and coined the term "antibiotic," intended that word to refer solely to compounds isolated from living organisms. Thus, antimicrobial drugs synthesized entirely in the laboratory are not technically "antibiotics." I'll ignore that fact for the rest of this quiz.

Answer: False

Many antibiotics are "bacteriostatic," meaning that they stop bacterial metabolism so the germs stop growing - examples include tetracycline and erythromycin. Then the patient's immune system cleans up the rest of the problem. Other drugs are "bacteriocidal," meaning they directly kill the bacteria - penicillin type medications fall in this category.

Answer: sulfonamides (e.g. sulfisoxazole)

The drug was Prontosil, a red dye. Dr. Domagk found that it protected mice from fatal doses of streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria. Apparently, he tested it on his own daughter out of desperation; she was cured of her strep throat.

Answer: methicillin

Shortly after methods of mass production of penicillin were discovered and the drug came into common use, bacteria were found to be resistant to its activity. Semi-synthetic penicillins such as methicillin, created in the 1950's, retained activity against these resistant strains. Alas, the good news was not to last - methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus soon became prominent; it remains a major problem in hospitals today. Amoxicillin is also a semi-synthetic penicillin, but is not active against penicillin-resistant Staph.

Answer: aminoglycosides (e.g. gentamicin)

Aminoglycosides include gentamicin, tobramycin and amikacin. These drugs are generally given intravenously, usually in the treatment of serious infections caused by Gram negative bacteria. The serious nature of potential side effects demands careful dosing - frequently, blood levels of the medications are measured to help guide therapy.

Answer: all of these are correct

Old tetracycline breaks down into compounds that may induce kidney problems. Most sore throats are caused by viruses, not bacteria, so taking antibiotics won't help. In fact, if your sore throat is due to Epstein Barr virus ("mono,") taking ampicillin will cause you to break out in a florid, purple rash. Exposure to inappropriate doses of antibiotics can help select bacteria which are resistant to those drugs.

Answer: False

This is an interesting side effect called "red-man syndrome," which is due to release of histamine in the body. However, it is not a true allergy, and can be prevented by slowing down the infusion of medication.

Answer: all of these are used

Patients with cystic fibrosis have overgrowth of bacteria, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in their airways. Inhaled tobramycin is often used to keep the bacterial load reduced. Bladder infections due to yeast, usually as a result of prolonged use of an indwelling bladder catheter, are sometimes treated by irrigating the bladder with antifungal medications.

Some serious forms of meningitis are sometimes treated with injection of antibiotics directly into the fluid bathing the brain.