An antibiotic is not useful against a virus whereas a vaccine is. Which one of the following is the most appropriate reason for this ?

examrobotsa's picture
Q: (CDS-I/2021)
An antibiotic is not useful against a virus whereas a vaccine is.
Which one of the following is the most appropriate reason for this ?

question_subject: 

Science

question_exam: 

CDS-I

stats: 

0,77,27,8,14,5,77

keywords: 

{'vaccine': [4, 0, 2, 1], 'antibiotic': [1, 0, 0, 0], 'immune system': [1, 1, 0, 1], 'virus': [4, 0, 0, 1]}

Option 1: This option is incorrect. Antibiotics target various components of a bacterial cell, such as cell walls, proteins, and enzymes, but not specifically RNA. Viruses can have either RNA or DNA as their genetic material.

Option 2: This option is incorrect. Antibiotics are not carbohydrates in nature, they are a diverse group of compounds. Vaccines are also not proteins; they may contain proteins or other components that stimulate the immune system.

Option 3: This option is incorrect. Vaccines do not directly break or destroy the genetic material of a virus. Instead, they stimulate the immune system to recognize and target the virus.

Option 4: This option is correct. Antibiotics work by targeting specific biochemical pathways of bacteria that are essential for their survival. Since viruses replicate using host cells and do not have their own biochemical pathways, antibiotics cannot effectively target them. Vaccines, on the other hand, train the immune system to recognize and fight specific viruses, helping to prevent infection or reduce the severity of the disease. It boosts the immune system response.