Chapter 20: Antimicrobial Drugs

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to antimicrobial drugs.

Antimicrobial Drugs

Agents that inhibit microbial growth with minimal damage to the host.

Selective Toxicity

The concept of differing levels of toxicity between microbes and their hosts.

Chemotherapy

Historical term for the use of antimicrobial drugs.

Antibiotic

Antimicrobial drugs made by other microorganisms.

Narrow-spectrum Antibiotics

Effective against only a few types of microbes.

Broad-spectrum Antibiotics

Effective against many types of microbes.

Superinfection

Overgrowth of surviving microbes that become opportunistic pathogens.

Penicillins

A group of related antibiotics that prevent the formation of peptidoglycan crosslinks.

β-lactam Group

Chemical structure providing antimicrobial function for penicillins.

β-lactamase

Enzymes that break down β-lactam groups.

MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria resistant to β-lactamase resistant penicillins.

Isoniazid

An antibiotic blocking mycolic acid synthesis in Mycobacterium.

Chloramphenicol

An antibiotic that binds to prokaryotic ribosomes to inhibit protein synthesis.

Polymyxin B

An antibiotic disrupting plasma membrane integrity.

Sulfamethoxazole

A sulfonamide that is a structural analog of PABA.

Fluoroquinolones

Antibiotics that inhibit DNA gyrase and topoisomerase II activity.

Echinocandins

Drugs that inhibit β-glucan synthesis in fungal cell walls.

Neuraminidase Inhibitors

Drugs that assist in viral mobility and are used in treating influenza.

Synergistic Effect

When combinations of drugs result in stronger effects.

Antagonistic Effect

When combinations of drugs lead to weaker effects.

Antimycobacterial Antibiotics

Drugs targeting the unique characteristics of Mycobacterium.

Antiviral Drugs

Drugs that inhibit viral replication and function.