Unlike viral agents, bacterial agents

Unlike viral agents, bacterial agents

• A. Are killed by vaccines
• B. Respond to antibiotics
• C. Are not contagious
• D. Are always more lethal

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that antibiotics work on bacteria because these organisms have their own cells with specific processes that antibiotics can disrupt, whereas viruses are not cellular and rely on host cells to replicate, so they aren’t affected by standard antibiotics. Bacteria have targets like cell wall synthesis, protein production, and DNA replication that antibiotics can interrupt, leading to inhibited growth or bacterial death. Viruses lack these bacterial targets and instead use host machinery; treating viral infections usually involves antivirals that inhibit viral enzymes or replication, or vaccines that prevent infection. Because of this fundamental difference, bacteria generally respond to antibiotics, while viruses do not. It’s also worth noting that antibiotic effectiveness can vary due to resistance, so not all bacteria are susceptible to all antibiotics. The other statements don’t fit because vaccines don’t universally kill bacteria in infection, many bacteria are contagious, and lethality varies widely between bacteria and infections.

The main idea is that antibiotics work on bacteria because these organisms have their own cells with specific processes that antibiotics can disrupt, whereas viruses are not cellular and rely on host cells to replicate, so they aren’t affected by standard antibiotics. Bacteria have targets like cell wall synthesis, protein production, and DNA replication that antibiotics can interrupt, leading to inhibited growth or bacterial death. Viruses lack these bacterial targets and instead use host machinery; treating viral infections usually involves antivirals that inhibit viral enzymes or replication, or vaccines that prevent infection. Because of this fundamental difference, bacteria generally respond to antibiotics, while viruses do not. It’s also worth noting that antibiotic effectiveness can vary due to resistance, so not all bacteria are susceptible to all antibiotics. The other statements don’t fit because vaccines don’t universally kill bacteria in infection, many bacteria are contagious, and lethality varies widely between bacteria and infections.