Colistin

/koʊˈlɪstɪn/ noun

Definition

A type of antibiotic derived from bacteria that kills coliform and other gram-negative bacteria; used as a last-resort antibiotic.

Etymology

From 'coli' (relating to coliform bacteria it targets) + '-stin' (suffix used for many antibiotic drug names, as in 'penicillin').

Kelly Says

Colistin is literally a 'last stand' antibiotic that doctors only use when all other antibiotics fail—it's toxic to humans too, but sometimes saving your life is worth the risk!

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