# Explain why a person who has a bacterial infection may be given antibiotics, and why antibiotics would not be effective if the same person also had a viral infection.

> Eduqas GCSE Biology — 2.6.3 Medicines and drugs · Explain · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. Antibiotics kill/inhibit the growth of bacteria
2. So antibiotics can treat/clear the bacterial infection
3. Viruses are not living cells / viruses are not bacteria
4. Antibiotics have no target / mechanism to act on viruses, so they cannot kill them

## Key terms

- [antibiotics](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/antibiotics)
- [bacteria](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/bacteria)
- [viral infection](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/viral-infection)
- [bacterial infection](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/bacterial-infection)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Eduqas GCSE Biology](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/explain-why-a-person-who-has-95b15287) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.