Antibiotics: A fading wonder
Superbugs are becoming more common - and some doctors fear they herald the end of the age of antibiotics. BBC News Online looks at the problems facing the 20th century's greatest medical advance.

The emerging superbug
The emergence of a superbug - a bacteria resistant to all antibiotics - could herald the end of the era of antibiotics, the biggest medical advance of the twentieth century.

A brief history of antibiotics
Antibiotics have revolutionised medical care in the 20th century, but in recent years bugs have been winning the battle against the medical profession.

Bacteria: A bug's life
Bacteria are the dominant form of life on Earth, with more of them here than any other creature - not a bad achievement for a single-cell organism.

A future for antibiotics?
Scientists are working hard to find new ways to defeat bacteria that are increasingly resisting the antibiotics already available.

Dos and don'ts of taking antibiotics
Antibiotics are useful in combatting bacterial illnesses, but doctors say patients need to be aware of the do and don'ts of using them.

When 'no' is the hardest word
We are living in the age of a pill for all ills - but we need to learn some restraint, says BBC Doctor Colin Thomas.

Why farm antibiotics are a worry
Antibiotics have a place in farming, but it is their indiscriminate use that is causing concern.