Infection & ResponseIntroduction

Fleming's Revolutionary Discovery

Part of Antibiotics and Drug ResistanceGCSE Biology

This introduction covers Fleming's Revolutionary Discovery within Antibiotics and Drug Resistance for GCSE Biology. Antibiotic function, bacterial resistance evolution, responsible use, global health impact It is section 1 of 19 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Topic position

Section 1 of 19

Practice

20 questions

Recall

24 flashcards

Fleming's Revolutionary Discovery

In 1928, Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming made one of the most important medical discoveries by accident. He left a petri dish of bacteria uncovered in his laboratory, and when he returned, he noticed something extraordinary - a patch of mould had grown on the dish, and around this mould, all the bacteria had died. This chance observation led to the discovery of penicillin, the first antibiotic, which has since saved millions of lives worldwide.

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Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Antibiotics and Drug Resistance. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Practice Questions for Antibiotics and Drug Resistance

What do antibiotics kill or stop growing?

  • A. Viruses
  • B. Bacteria
  • C. Fungi
  • D. All pathogens
1 markfoundation

Explain how antibiotic resistance develops in bacteria through natural selection. (3 marks)

3 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

What is a superbug?
A bacterium that is resistant to many or most antibiotics
What are antibiotics?
Chemicals that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria

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