What is the primary function of antibiotics?

The primary function of antibiotics is to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics are specifically designed to target and kill bacteria or inhibit their growth, making them effective for conditions caused by bacterial pathogens. They work by disrupting the processes that are unique to bacterial cells, such as cell wall synthesis or protein synthesis, which helps eliminate the infection from the body.

While other options may represent important aspects of medical treatment—pain relief, inflammation reduction, and symptom management for viruses—these are not the roles of antibiotics. Pain relief medications address discomfort without targeting the underlying cause, inflammation may be managed through different medications that do not affect bacterial growth, and antibiotics are not effective against viruses, which require different approaches for treatment. This distinction highlights why the role of antibiotics is solely focused on addressing bacterial infections.