What is the difference between bactericidal drugs and bacteriostatic drugs?
A.
Bactericidal and bacteriostatic are used interchangeably.
B.
Bactericidal drugs are directly lethal to bacteria, and bacteriostatic drugs work to slow bacterial growth but do not cause cell death.
C.
Bacteriostatic drugs are directly lethal to bacteria, and bactericidal drugs work to slow bacterial growth but do not cause cell death.
D.
A bactericidal drug can cause death to the host, whereas a bacteriostatic drug only affects bacteria.
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is:
B. Bactericidal drugs are directly lethal to bacteria, and bacteriostatic drugs work to slow bacterial growth but do not cause cell death.
Explanation:
Bactericidal and bacteriostatic are terms used to describe how antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents affect bacteria.
Bactericidal Drugs: These drugs kill bacteria directly. They interfere with essential bacterial processes that lead to bacterial cell death. Bactericidal agents typically target vital cellular structures or functions, such as the bacterial cell wall, DNA replication, or protein synthesis. Examples include penicillins, which inhibit cell wall synthesis, and aminoglycosides, which interfere with protein synthesis. The main advantage of bactericidal drugs is that they are often preferred in severe infections or in situations where the immune system is compromised, as they actively eliminate the bacteria, potentially leading to a more rapid resolution of the infection.
Bacteriostatic Drugs: These drugs inhibit bacterial growth and reproduction but do not kill the bacteria directly. By slowing down bacterial metabolism and reproduction, bacteriostatic agents allow the body’s immune system to combat the infection more effectively. Common examples include tetracyclines and sulfonamides, which interfere with protein synthesis and folic acid metabolism, respectively. The effectiveness of bacteriostatic drugs relies heavily on the presence of an intact immune system, as the bacteria are not killed but merely prevented from multiplying. This can be advantageous in managing infections in patients with a robust immune response.
In summary, while both types of drugs are used to treat bacterial infections, their mechanisms of action differ. Bactericidal drugs kill bacteria directly, leading to a decrease in bacterial count, whereas bacteriostatic drugs halt bacterial growth, allowing the immune system to clear the infection.