Tuberculosis is an
infectious disease that can lead to death if untreated. Tuberculosis usually
attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is spread
through the air, when people who have the disease cough, sneeze, or spit. In
more than nine out of ten patients, tuberculosis can be cured with appropriate
treatment. Treatment for tuberculosis usually combines several different
anti-biotic drugs that is given for at least six months, sometimes for as long
as 12 months. In order for the cure to be effective, the patient must make sure
that the right amount of medication is taken for the right amount of time. If
too little medicine is taken, or the right amount is taken for a shorter period
of time, a cure is less likely. Furthermore, there is a greater chance a person
will become drug resistant.
Our science fair topic
is to determine whether cocktailing two anti-biotics together would have a more
effective result in curing tuberculosis or not.
The job of anti-biotics
is to kill bacteria. If bacteria make it past our immune systems and start
reproducing inside our bodies, they cause a disease. Anti-biotics kill the
bacteria to eliminate the disease. An anti-biotic is designed to kill specific
type of bacteria, but not to kill the cells in your body. Although there are a
number of different types of anti-biotics, they all work in one of two ways: 1)
kills bacteria, or 2) stops bacteria from multiplying.
Hypothesis: If combining
two different anti-biotics used to cure the same disease, then will this
increase the effect of the medication.
Controlled Variables:
anti-biotic A, B, and C
Independent Variables:
combined anti-biotics AB, BC, and AC
Dependent Variables: the
number of bacteria killed
References
What is
tuberculosis?. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Tuberculosis.aspx
Schoenstadt, A.
(2006, October 10). Tuberculosis cure.
Retrieved from http://tuberculosis.emedtv.com/tuberculosis/tuberculosis-cure.html
What are
antibiotics? How do antibiotics work?. (2009, April 20). Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10278.php
