Bacterial infections and antibiotics

Bacterial infections are a constant threat to human health. Antibiotics stop a bacterial infection from multiplying. They help treat pneumonia, strep throat, and many other infections.

But before antibiotics, treatments for these diseases were limited or misguided. In 1929, the accidental discovery of the first antibiotic, a bacteria-killing liquid called penicillin, kicked off a medical revolution.

The use of this new treatment has saved countless lives from World War II soldiers and to modern hospital patients. Explore current issues in antibiotics and the best ways to fight bacteria in this graphic history.