• Question: How do we beat bacteria?

    Asked by Elicabanas to Tom, Paul, Natasha, Ester, Eoin on 15 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Eoin McKinney

      Eoin McKinney answered on 15 Nov 2017:

      There are a few ways – avoiding infection is very important. Hygiene and hand-washing can prevent spread. We can also use medicines – antibiotics can either kill or slow down bacterial growth. We need to use them carefully to stop the bacteria mutating, evolving and becoming resistant though. That means only using them when necessary and not using them for too long. Our immune systems are the ultimate way of getting rid of bacteria – it can recognise them and then immune cells move in to kill the bacteria and clear up the infection

    • Photo: Ester Gil Vazquez

      Ester Gil Vazquez answered on 17 Nov 2017:

      Our bodies can “beat” bacteria in many ways: we have barriers to keep the bacteria out of the body, like the skin. In addition, we have cells that spend their lives eating bacteria. Other cells “mark” them as dangerous so that they are easily found. We also have proteins that can break the bacteria down to small pieces. It is a pretty efficient system because we are exposed to bacteria continuously and still only get sick a few times per year. When that happens, sometimes we need extra help of antibiotics. But that’s rare.

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