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ble when stored in solid or in liquid form Remain in specific tissues in the body long enough
to be effective Kill the pathogens before they mutate and become resistant to it
pathogens
An antimicrobial agent must inhibit or destroy the pathogen without damaging the host. To accomplish this The agent must target a metabolic process or structure possessed by the pathogen but not possessed by the host (the infected person)
1. 2. 3.
4. 5.
Inhibition of cell wall synthesis Damage to cell membranes Inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis (either DNA or RNA) Inhibition of protein synthesis Inhibition of enzyme activity
Inhibit the production of folic acid ( a vitamin) in those bacteria that require p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) to synthesize folic acid. Has a similar shape with that of PABA.
these includes the streptococci and staphylococci penicillin interferes with the synthesis and cross-
Antibiotics like VANCOMYCIN destroys only gram-positive bacteria COLISTIN and NALIDIXIC acid destroys only gram negative bacteria They are also known as NARROW- SPECTRUM ANTIBOITICS. Those that can destroy both gram-negative and grampositive bacteria are called BROAD-SPECTRUM ANTIBIOTICS.
host defense mechanism is functioning properly whose bodies are capable of killing the
all the pathogens and to prevent resistant mutant pathogens from emerging
tuberculosis are frequently encountered four drugs ( isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and either ethambutol or streptomycin) are routinely prescribed, and as many as 12 drugs may be required for especially resistant strains
Antagonism
- when two drugs are prescribed - actually works against each other - is a bad thing pathogen killing is less than achieved
It is more difficult to use antimicrobial drugs against fungal and protozoal pathogens because they are eucaryotic cells; thus, the drugs tend to be more toxic to the patient.
nystatin and amphotericin) o By interfering with sterol synthesis (e. g. clotrimazole and miconazole) o By blocking mitosis or nucleic acid synthesis (e.g. griseofulvin and 5- flucytosine)