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Science and Development Network
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Definitions
A directory of terms related to antibiotic treatment, useful for discussing the development of antibiotic resistance. (Sources: Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, Union of Concerned Scientists, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
A
Antibacterial
An agent that interferes with the growth and reproduction of bacteria.
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance occurs when an antibiotic has lost its ability to effectively control or kill bacterial growth; in other words, the bacteria are 'resistant' and continue to multiply in the presence of therapeutic levels of an antibiotic.
Antibiotic susceptibility
The opposite of resistance. This applies to bacteria that killed or inhibited by an antibiotic. Susceptibility to one antibiotic does not mean susceptibility to all.
Antibiotics
A chemical compound that can kill or inhibit the growth of a bacteria without causing the host (such as a human or animal) significant damage.
Antimicrobials
A broad term used to describe any agent that interferes with the normal function of microscopic organisms, including bacteria, fungi, yeast, viruses and protozoa. Antibiotics, which affect only bacteria, are one type of antimicrobial.
