An antibiotic is a chemical substance made by a living organism, usually a microorganism, that harms other microorganisms. Many antibiotics are produced naturally by soil microorganisms, which are suspected of using the substances to limit or restrict the activity of other organisms competing for the same resources. Bacteria and fungi can produce antibiotics that are useful for preventing or treating disease. Antibiotics transformed treatment for bacterial infections following the introduction of penicillin for medical use in 1941. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.
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