: Major types include antibacterials (oral and topical), antifungals , and antiseptics . 2. Mechanism of Action
: Preventing the transcription of genetic code. 3. Antimicrobic Susceptibility Testing (AST)
: Antibiotic-impregnated discs are placed on a bacterial "lawn." The resulting Zone of Inhibition (the clear area where no growth occurs) is measured to categorize the organism as Sensitive (S) , Intermediate (I) , or Resistant (R) .
: Inhibiting the "unzipping" of DNA for replication. Metabolic enzymes : Blocking pathways like folate synthesis.
Antimicrobics work by targeting essential biological processes in microbes that are absent or different in human cells. The five primary targets in bacteria include:
: The overarching category for all drugs that kill or inhibit microbes, including synthetic chemicals.
: The lowest concentration of an antimicrobic required to prevent visible growth of the pathogen.
: Stopping the creation of vital enzymes and structures.
