1. Investigate the Treatment of Infectious Diseases
Drugs used in treatment of infectious diseases
BT06.03

2. Drugs used for treatment of bacterial diseases
Drugs used for treatment of bacterial diseases can be grouped into categories based on their modes of action
Examples:
Penicillins/Cephalosporins interfere with certain layers of the cell wall
Chloramphenicol Tetracyclines, Erythromycins-may be toxic when used in high doses or prolonged periods of time
Rifampin-used for treatment of TB

3. Drugs that Inhibit Viral Infections
Drugs that effectively inhibit viral infections are highly toxic to host cells because viruses use the host’s metabolic enzymes in reproduction
Examples:
Antiviral drugs target virus-specific enzymes
ACYCLOVIR-used in treatment of genital herpes
AMANTIDINE (Tamiflu)-used to prevent or moderate influenza
AZT-inhibit replication of HIV genome

4. Development of Drugs
Development of drugs used to treat fungal, protozoan & helminthic disease are also highly toxic to mammals
Examples:
Azole derivatives inhibit sterol synthesis
Amphotericin B-disrupts cell membrane

5. Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance presents ongoing problems in the fight against infectious disease
Penicillin resistance noted as early as 1943
Mycobacterium tuberculosis-some strains resistant to all drugs
Resistance to antibiotics-result of changes in genetic information [MUTATIONS]

6. Using the rain forest to fight viruses??