Lecture Notes on Antimicrobials

This set of flashcards includes key vocabulary terms related to antimicrobials, their action, and resistance mechanisms.

Antimicrobials

Agents used to treat diseases caused by microbes, including antibiotics, antivirals, antiprotozoans, and antifungals.

Broad Spectrum Antibiotic

An antimicrobial effective against a wide range of bacteria.

Narrow Spectrum Antibiotic

An antimicrobial effective against a small number of microorganisms or just a single group.

Selective Toxicity

The ability of a drug to target microbial cells without harming the host's cells.

Penicillin

A true antibiotic derived from the mold Penicillium, effective against certain bacterial infections.

Super Infection

A secondary infection that occurs when normal microbiota are disrupted, allowing opportunistic pathogens to flourish.

Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)

The lowest concentration of an antibiotic that prevents visible growth of a bacterium.

Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC)

The lowest concentration of an antibiotic that kills a bacterium.

VRE (Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus)

A type of bacteria that has developed resistance to the antibiotic vancomycin.

Superbugs

Microorganisms that have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, making infections difficult to treat.

Antivirals

Medications used to treat viral infections and inhibit viral replication.

Antifungals

Agents used to treat fungal infections, often targeting ergosterol in fungal cell membranes.

Antiprotozoans

Medications used to treat infections caused by protozoan parasites.

Efflux Pumps

Mechanisms used by bacteria to pump out antibiotics and resist their effects.

Blocked Penetration

A resistance mechanism where bacterial membranes prevent antibiotic entry.

Beta Lactamase

An enzyme produced by some bacteria that inactivates beta-lactam antibiotics like penicillin.

Multidrug Resistance (MDR)

The ability of microbes to resist multiple antibiotics.