Cephalosporins were developed from a fungus discovered in which setting?

• A. Sewer
• B. Soil
• C. Water
• D. Air

Answer: (A)

Cephalosporins were discovered when researchers isolated a mold from sewage outflow. The fungus, Cephalosporium acremonium (now Acremonium), produced cephalosporin C, the first member of the cephalosporin family. Environments like sewage harbor diverse microbes that compete with each other, so some organisms synthesize antibiotics to inhibit rivals; this led to the identification of a compound with real therapeutic use. This historical finding established the cephalosporin class, which, while sharing the beta-lactam core with penicillins, expanded the antibiotic options. The discovery did not come from soil, water, or air in this case, but specifically from sewage.