A group of drugs, either natural or synthetic, which are derived from microorganisms and destroy other microorganisms that cause disease. Specific antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria or fungi. Less specific, or broad-spectrum, antibiotics destroy a wide range of microorganisms.
Although antibiotics can be important in the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections, the body becomes resistant to them after a certain period, so they are rarely prescribed for minor infections that will clear up of their own.
See also Antibiotic Resistance.
