Medications that treat or prevent bacterial infections.

A large, Y-shaped protein produced in the body by memory B cells to kill pathogens . Every invading pathogen is shaped differently. An antibody recognizes the structures (antigens) that are unique to a pathogen. The antibody then binds to the pathogen and neutralizes it. Memory B cells, which last for decades, remember these structures forever. If a pathogen’s genome mutates as a result of evolution, those structures change, and the memory B cells may be less able to recognize them.

A broad class of medical treatments that combat microbial infections. Antibiotics are antimicrobials that target bacteria ; antivirals target viruses; antifungals (or antimycotics) target fungi; and antiparasitics target parasites. Antiseptics (applied to living tissue, as in the case of mouthwash or yeast infection cream) and disinfectants (applied to nonliving surfaces such as countertops and doorknobs) are also considered antimicrobials.