Which one of the following statements is correct about effects of antibiotics on viruses?

Antibiotics are specifically designed to target bacterial infections by disrupting unique bacterial structures and metabolic pathways, such as the synthesis of peptidoglycan cell walls or specific protein synthesis machinery [1][3]. Viruses are fundamentally different; they are acellular entities consisting of genetic material wrapped in a protein coat [3]. Unlike bacteria, viruses lack their own metabolic processes and cellular structures like ribosomes or cell membranes. Instead, they hijack the host cell's machinery to replicate [3]. Because viruses do not possess the specific biochemical pathways or targets that antibiotics are engineered to attack, these drugs are ineffective against viral infections [1]. While viruses are often considered "non-living" outside a host due to a lack of molecular movement, they do not have the independent life-sustaining processes that antibiotics disrupt [4].

Sources

1. [1] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Health: The Ultimate Treasure > 3.5.1 Treatment of diseases > p. 39
2. [3] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Life Processes > p. 79
3. [4] https://www.vaccinate.initiatives.qld.gov.au/vaccination-blog/why-antibiotics-cant-be-used-to-treat-viruses-colds-or-the-flu