STREPTOMYCINS Meaning and
Definition
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Streptomycins are a class of antibiotics derived from the bacterium Streptomyces griseus, which is commonly found in soil. These antibiotics are primarily used for the treatment of bacterial infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, particularly species that are resistant to other types of antibiotics. The streptomycins were the first effective treatment for tuberculosis (TB), a serious infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs, and they have played a crucial role in reducing the mortality rate associated with TB.
Streptomycins work by interfering with the protein synthesis process in bacteria, preventing them from multiplying and causing further damage. They bind to the bacterial ribosomes, which are the cellular structures responsible for synthesizing proteins, and disrupt the production of essential proteins required for bacterial growth and survival. This ultimately leads to the death of the bacteria, thereby resolving the infection.
Despite the significant contributions streptomycins have made to modern medicine, their use has become limited due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Over time, many bacteria have developed mechanisms to resist the effects of streptomycins, rendering them less effective. However, streptomycins are still utilized in certain cases, such as the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), where the bacteria are resistant to multiple antibiotics. In such instances, streptomycins may be combined with other antibiotics to improve treatment outcomes.
Overall, streptomycins have played a vital role in the history of antibiotics, serving as a starting point for the development of numerous other drugs in the class of aminoglycoside antibiotics.
Common Misspellings for STREPTOMYCINS
- atreptomycins
- ztreptomycins
- xtreptomycins
- dtreptomycins
- etreptomycins
- wtreptomycins
- srreptomycins
- sfreptomycins
- sgreptomycins
- syreptomycins
- s6reptomycins
- s5reptomycins
- steeptomycins
- stdeptomycins
- stfeptomycins
- stteptomycins
- st5eptomycins
- st4eptomycins
- strwptomycins
- strsptomycins
Etymology of STREPTOMYCINS
The word "streptomycins" is derived from the genus name "Streptomyces".
Streptomyces is a group of Gram-positive bacteria that are known for producing various useful antibiotics, including streptomycin. The genus name "Streptomyces" comes from the Greek words "streptos", meaning "twisted", and "mykes", meaning "fungus". This is because Streptomyces bacteria appear thread-like or filamentous, resembling the hyphae of fungi.
"Streptomycin", the antibiotic produced by Streptomyces, was discovered in 1943 by American microbiologist Selman Waksman and his team. The antibiotic was named after the genus from which it was derived, Streptomyces, with the suffix "-mycin" indicating its antimicrobial nature.
