How Did Alexander Fleming Contribute To The Discovery Of Penicillin?

Alexander Fleming was born in Loudon, Scotland on 6 August, 1881. He served as Captain during the World War I and worked in battlefield hospitals in France. His research and study during his military career inspired him to discover… penicillin. It was in 1928 when he observed while experimenting on influenza virus that a common fungus, Penicillium notatum had destroyed bacteria in a staphylococcus culture plate. Upon subsequent investigation, he found out that mould juice had developed a bacteria-free zone which inhibited the growth of staphylococci. He named it penicillin (History of Antibiotics).

Antibiotics are medicines used to treat infections or diseases caused by bacteria including pneumonia, whooping cough, urinary tract infections, skin infections and infected wounds. The discovery of penicillin from the fungus, Penicillium notatum,

However, these drugs have been used so widely and for so long that the infectious organisms the antibiotics are designed to kill have become immune to them, making the drugs less effective. Each year in the United States, at least 2 million people become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die each year as a direct result of these infections (Antibiotic/ Antimicrobial Resistance).

Another idea is the use of probiotics. Probiotics are widely used, as shown by the large number of different brands of supplements available, and respectable, being retailed not only in health food shops but also in pharmacies. Increasing public understanding of science and medicine over the past decades means that it is now generally recognized that not all ‘germs’ are harmful, as a previous generation had been brought up to believe. They are recommended by some health workers for specific complaints, and are advertized in general terms as aids to a healthy lifestyle. (Living the Post-Antibiotic