Week 8
assignment
Antimicrobial Agents
Antimicrobial agents are essential components in the
treatment of various bacterial infections as they help to kill or prevent the
growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoans. Prior to the
discovery of antimicrobial agents, treatment options for patients with
bacterial infections were limited. For many patients, treatment often resulted
in the amputation of limbs or even death. Today, treatment options for
bacterial infections typically have a more positive prognosis. Due to the
various types of infections presented in patients, it is essential to be able to
identify the underlying cause of the infection—whether bacterial or
viral—before recommending drug treatments. This will help you identify whether
or not an antimicrobial agent would be appropriate and which specific agent
would target the infection. In this Assignment, you consider the appropriate
use of antimicrobial agents for infections.
To prepare:
Review this week’s media presentation on principles of
antimicrobial therapy, as well as Chapter 8 of the Arcangelo and Peterson text.
Consider the categories of antimicrobial agents.
Think about differences between viral and bacterial
infections.
Reflect on why proper identification of the infection is key
to selecting the proper antimicrobial agent.
By Day 7
Write a 2- to 3- page paper that addresses the following:
Describe the categories of antimicrobial agents.
Describe differences between viral and bacterial
infections.Explain why proper identification of viral and bacterial infections
is key to selecting the proper antimicrobial agent.
