Infections, Antibiotics, Antifungals, & Antivirals Flashcards
Antimicrobial (definition)
Drugs that work on many different organizations (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, helminths); Natural, synthetic, semi-synthetic
Antibiotic (definition)
Subcategory of antimicrobial that can kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria
Bacteriostatic (definition)
Medications that slow or inhibit bacterial growth
Bactericidal (definition)
Medications that kill bacteria
Broad spectrum (definition)
Effective against many organisms, both gram (+) & gram (-); we use these when taking a wide approach to hit as much as possible, especially when we don’t know what the specific “problem” organism is
Narrow spectrum (definition)
Effective against a few species of organisms, usually gram (+) OR gram (-), not both; this is a “bull’s-eye” approach for when we know the specific organism & sensitivity pattern
Selective toxicity (definition)
Toxic to specific cells while sparing other cells close in proximity; we want this!
Resistance (definition)
Ability of an organism to survive against an antimicrobial, or render it ineffective; can be innate or acquired
Super infection (definition)
An infection that occurs BECAUSE OF or DURING treatment of a primary infection; a second infection is superimposed on an earlier infection due to a different microbe or resistant microbe (most common example: c. diff)
Prophylactic antibiotic use (definition)
The use of antibiotics to prevent an infection of occurring; we do this when there is high risk for infection (examples: surgical procedures, dental procedures in patients w/ risk for endocarditis, immunocompromised patients)
Opportunistic infection (definition)
Organism takes advantage of an “opportunity” that isn’t normally there to cause infection; common in patients with weakened immune systems, altered microbiomes, breached integumentary barriers. These organisms do not occur in healthy hosts, so we usually see these occur after broad-spectrum abx use or in immunocompromised/immunosuppressed patients
How do organisms enter the body?
Oro/nasopharynx route
Disruption in skin barrier
GI tract
Migration from non-sterile to sterile sites
Translocation of organisms
Blood-blood transmission
Maternal-fetal transmission
5 stages of infection
Incubation period
Prodromal stage
Acute stage
Convalescent stage
Resolution stage
Nosocomial infections
Infections that occur within a healthcare facility
Causes of hospital-acquired infections
Increased virulence of organisms
Drug resistant strains
Increased susceptibility to infection
