Pathogen & Disease Test: Antimicrobial Drugs Flashcards
Antimicrobial Agent
an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth
Microbicides
agents that kill microbes
Bacteriostatic Agents
agents that prevent microbes from growing
Disinfectants
non-selective antimicrobial agents that kill a wide range of microbes on non-living surfaces to prevent the spread of illness
Antiseptics
antimicrobial agents that are applied to living tissue and help reduce infection during surgery
Antibiotics
antimicrobial agents that destroy microornganisms within the body
Antimicrobial Drugs
include synthetic (manufactured) drugs as well as drugs produced by bacteria and fungi, called antibiotics
Bactericidal Agents
agents that kill microbes directly
Selective Toxicity
killing the pathogen without damaging the host
Narrow-Spectrum Antimicrobial Drugs
affect only a limited number of microbial types
Broad-Spectrum Antimicrobial Drugs
affect a large number of microbial species
What are the 4 ways Antimicrobial Agents work to kill microbes?
How do Antimicrobial Drugs work?
- Damage cell walls
- Inhibit protein synthesis
- Damage plasma membrane
- Inhibition of enzyme activity
What are the 4 ways Antimicrobial Agents work to kill microbes: Damage Cell Walls
the synthesis of new cell walls during cell division is inhibited
EX. penicilin, vancomycin, cephalosporins, bacitracin
What are the 4 ways Antimicrobial Agents work to kill microbes: Inhibit Protein Synthesis
the process of translation is interfered with
EX. erythromycin, tetracyclines, chloraphenicol, streptomycin
What are the 4 ways Antimicrobial Agents work to kill microbes: Damage Plasma Membrane
the plasma membrane may be ruptured
EX. nystain, miconazole, polymyxin B
What are the 4 ways Antimicrobial Agents work to kill microbes: Inhibition of Enzyme Activity
the synthesis of essential metabolites is inhibited
EX. sulfanillamide, trimethoprim
Zone of Inhibition
where there is little or no bacterial growth on a nutrient agar medium
What are the requirements of an “ideal” anti-microbial drugs?
the ideal drug has selective toxicity, killing the pathogen without damaging the host
Antibiotic Resistance
when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the ability to defeat and overcome the drugs designed to kill them
Why do antibiotics not work against viruses?
because viruses have different structures and replicate in a different way that bacteria; they have a protective coating/ don’t have cell walls that can be attacked by antibiotics
