Expert: Walter Hintz - 8/31/2005

Question
Hi! I know that antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections and don't work on viruses, but could you please explain to me why they don't work on viruses? Thank you for your time.

Answer
 Hi Emily
It has to do with the structure and physiology of the bacteria and the virus particle.  Antibiotics destroy bacteria by disrupting the cell walls during cell division or by altering the biochemistry of the organism.  Virus particles are not living organisms.  They do not have cell walls nor cell organelles.  They have no cell walls to destroy nor metabolic processes to disrupt.  They are made up of a piece of DNA surrounded by a protein shell.