Which antibiotic discovered by Selman Waksman revolutionized tuberculosis treatment?

Study for the PMLS History of Medical Technology Test. Explore flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question is accompanied by hints and explanations. Get prepared for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Which antibiotic discovered by Selman Waksman revolutionized tuberculosis treatment?

Streptomycin was the first antibiotic shown to be effective against tuberculosis, discovered by Selman Waksman and his team in 1943 from a soil bacterium, Streptomyces griseus. This breakthrough flipped the prognosis of TB, turning a disease with extremely high mortality into one that could be treated with drugs. It opened the era of antimicrobial chemotherapy for TB and dramatically reduced TB deaths. Rifampin is also crucial for TB care but came later and from a different line of discovery, while penicillin and erythromycin did not revolutionize TB treatment in the same way.

Streptomycin was the first antibiotic shown to be effective against tuberculosis, discovered by Selman Waksman and his team in 1943 from a soil bacterium, Streptomyces griseus. This breakthrough flipped the prognosis of TB, turning a disease with extremely high mortality into one that could be treated with drugs. It opened the era of antimicrobial chemotherapy for TB and dramatically reduced TB deaths. Rifampin is also crucial for TB care but came later and from a different line of discovery, while penicillin and erythromycin did not revolutionize TB treatment in the same way.

More practice questions