Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy

Question 1

Prophylaxis

Answer 1

Treatment prior to infection or development of disease.

Question 2

Empirical therapy

Answer 2

Treatment based on clinical experience clinical observation.

Question 3

Definitive therapy

Answer 3

Treatment accepted as a specific cure of a disease. (Test positive for A, treatment B eradicates A)

Question 4

Normal flora

Answer 4

Organisms that live symbiotically within/on the body

Question 5

Colonization

Answer 5

Microorgansim that successfully competes with normal flora

Question 6

Infection

Answer 6

Invasion by pathogenic microorganisms that reduce and multiply.

Question 7

Superinfection

Answer 7

Proliferation of a parasitic microorganism during antimicrobial treatment for another organism.

Question 8

Contamination

Answer 8

Passage of an infection organism from an infected to person to an object, which, when used, can further pass the infection along.

Question 9

Bactericidal

Answer 9

Kills bacteria

Question 10

Bacteriostatic

Answer 10

Prevents growth of bacteria

Question 11

Minimum inhibitory concentration

Answer 11

Lowest concentration of antibiotic that inhibits bacterial growth. To be effective, dose must be above this concentration

Question 12

Minimum bactericidal concentration

Answer 12

Minimim concentration of antibiotic that kills the bacteria under investigation.

Question 13

Site and severity of infection

Answer 13

Important to know site as antibiotic must reach intended location. Site can also give hints as to the type of bacteria that would colonize there.

Question 14

Narrow Spectrum

Answer 14

Acts against a single or limited group of organisms

Question 15

Extended spectrum

Answer 15

Acts against gram(+) and some gram(-)