A statement claims that some medications are effective against both bacterial and viral infections. This claim is

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Partially true
• D. Cannot be determined

Answer: (B)

Medications are designed to target particular features of pathogens, and bacteria and viruses have very different biology. Antibiotics work by disrupting bacterial-specific processes, such as cell wall synthesis or bacterial ribosomes, which don’t exist in viruses. antivirals, on the other hand, block viral enzymes or steps in viral replication inside host cells. Because these targets are distinct and because a drug that harms viruses would risk harming host cells, there isn’t a standard medication that reliably treats both bacterial and viral infections. Thus the statement is not correct.