What was the major impact of penicillin's discovery?

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (B) First effective antibiotic against bacterial infections

Explanation:

• The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928 marked a groundbreaking moment in medical science, as it became the first effective antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections.

• Penicillin revolutionized the treatment of bacterial diseases, significantly reducing mortality from infections like pneumonia, sepsis, and tuberculosis.

• Its widespread use during World War II helped save countless lives, especially among soldiers suffering from bacterial infections.

Information Booster:

• Penicillin works by disrupting the cell wall synthesis of bacteria, leading to their destruction.

• The discovery of penicillin led to the development of other antibiotics, such as streptomycin, tetracycline, and amoxicillin.

• Penicillin is still widely used today in various forms, including oral penicillin and intravenous injections for serious infections.

• The discovery of penicillin is often considered one of the greatest medical advances of the 20th century.

Additional Information:

• Option A (First vaccine for prevention of smallpox): Incorrect. The smallpox vaccine was developed by Edward Jenner in 1796, long before the discovery of penicillin.

• Option C (First drug for Rabies prevention and cure): Incorrect. The first effective treatment for rabies was developed by Louis Pasteur in 1885 using rabies vaccines, not penicillin.

• Option D (First antiviral drug for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)): Incorrect. Antiviral drugs for HIV treatment, like AZT, were developed much later in the 1980s, long after penicillin’s discovery.