Readings Flashcards
Define bactericide
a chemical that destroys bacteria, except for those in the endospore stage. It may or may not be effective on other microbial groups
Define fungicide
a chemical that can kill fungal spores, hyphae, and yeasts
Define virucide
any chemical known to inactivate viruses, especially on living tissue
Define sporicide
an agent which can destroy bacterial endospores, making it a sterilizing agent
Define germicide
aka microbicide
any chemical agent that kills pathogenic microorganisms
Define disinfection
a physical process or chemical agent (a disinfectant) which destroys vegetative pathogens but not bacterial endospores
normally only used on inanimate objects due to concentration
Define sepsis
the growth of microorganisms in the blood and other tissues
Define asepsis
any practice that prevents the entry of infectious agents into sterile tissues and thus prevents infection
such as aseptic technique
Define degermation
the reduction in microbial load through mechanical means in living tissues
scrubbing skin or immersing it in chemicals
Why do detergents effect cell walls?
detergents are surfactants so they lower the surface tension of cell membranes with their polarity. They disrupt the membrane by binding with it with their hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions
This opens up the membrane and allows bad things to come in and good things to leak out
Why do alcohols effect cell walls?
Alcohols are able to dissolve membrane lipids and strip membranes away from cells
Are detergents more effective against gram-positive or gram-negative cell walls? Why?
more effective against G+ because they don’t have to work through an outer membrane to get to the sensitive parts of the cell
Are alcohols more effective against gram-positive or gram-negative cell walls? Why?
more effective against G+ because they don’t have to work through an outer membrane to get to the sensitive parts of the cell
describe the influences of nongermicidal and germicidal soaps on handscrubbing
Germicidal soap has persistent effects on skin over time, keeping microbial count low
without the germicide, soap does not show a sustained effect (see figure 11.18 in textbook)
What is the advantage of the Kirby-Bauer technique?
advantages:
provides data on antimicrobial susceptibility and drug selection
What is the disadvantage of the Kirby-Bauer technique?
disadvantages:
less effective for anaerobic, highly fastidious, or slow-growing bacteria
this includes mycobacteria
What is the advantage of an MIC?
provides a quantitative rating of drug effectiveness, percise and numerical
allows testing for a wide variety of drugs and microbial types including anaerobes, mycobacteria and fungi
gives smallest effective dose
What is the therapeutic index? Why determine it?
the ratio of the dose of the drug that is toxic to humans as compared to its minimum effective (theraputic) dose
helps compare drugs to find one that is most toxic to infectious agent, but least toxic to humans
Is a smaller or larger ratio of therapeutic index more toxic?
the smaller the ratio, the greater potential for toxic drug reactions
What are the specific uses for acyclovir?
anti-herpes drug- oral and genital, chickenpox and shingles
taken orally or topically
Mode of action:
competes for sits on replicating DNA, and once incorperated into DNA replication stops
What are the specific uses for zidovudine (azidothymidine)?
treats HIV and AIDS at all stages including prophylaxis for accidental exposure
an analog of thymine that is incorporated into DNA of HIV but terminates synthesis because it does not have the right bonding sites
What are the specific uses for ribavirin?
an antiviral drug which can be administered as an inhaled aeorosol against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (or pneumovirus)
What are the specific uses for protease inhibitors (saquinavir, indinavir)?
helps treat HIV AIDS by preventing the cutting elongate protein strands of the virus before they are assembled into the finished viron
What are the specific uses for amantadine?
almost exclusively treat influenza virus
block the hemagglutinin receptors of the virus
list protease inhibitors
saquinavir
indinavir
What are the specific uses for quinine?
used to be the principle treatment for malaria
What are the specific uses for chloroquinine?
used against malaria by supressing acute attacks associated with infection of red blood cells
is taken alone for prophylaxis and supression of acute forms of malaria
What are the specific uses for primaquinine?
used for malaria by eliminating the liver phase of infection
administered to patients with relapsing cases of malaria
What are the specific uses for metronidazole?
Metronidazole: treats intestinal infections and hepatic disease
What are the specific uses for mebendazole?
broad spectrum anti-paracitic drug used to treat several types of round worm infection
What are the specific uses for thiabendazole?
broad spectrum anti-paracitic drug used to treat several types of round worm infection
