Antimicrobial therapy

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Antimicrobial therapy refers to the use of antimicrobial agents to treat infections caused by microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. This form of therapy is a cornerstone of modern medicine and plays a crucial role in managing infectious diseases.

History[edit | edit source]

The history of antimicrobial therapy dates back to the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in 1928. This marked the beginning of the antibiotic era, which has seen the development of a wide range of antimicrobial agents.

Types of Antimicrobial Agents[edit | edit source]

Antimicrobial agents can be broadly classified into several categories, including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. Each of these categories targets a specific type of microorganism.

Antibiotics[edit | edit source]

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. They work by either killing the bacteria or inhibiting their growth. Examples include penicillin, cephalosporins, and tetracyclines.

Antivirals[edit | edit source]

Antivirals are used to treat viral infections. They work by inhibiting the replication of the virus. Examples include oseltamivir for influenza and antiretroviral therapy for HIV.

Antifungals[edit | edit source]

Antifungals are used to treat fungal infections. They work by disrupting the cell membrane of the fungus. Examples include fluconazole and amphotericin B.

Antiparasitics[edit | edit source]

Antiparasitics are used to treat parasitic infections. They work by killing the parasite or inhibiting its growth. Examples include ivermectin for roundworm infections and mefloquine for malaria.

Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy[edit | edit source]

The principles of antimicrobial therapy involve choosing the right drug, dose, and duration of therapy. This requires understanding the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the antimicrobial agent, as well as the susceptibility of the microorganism.

Challenges[edit | edit source]

Despite its successes, antimicrobial therapy faces several challenges, including the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, adverse drug reactions, and the need for new antimicrobial agents.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Medicine - Specialties and subspecialties
Surgery

Cardiac surgery - Cardiothoracic surgery - Colorectal surgery - Ophthalmology - General surgery - Neurosurgery - Oral and maxillofacial surgery - Orthopedic surgery - Hand surgery - Otolaryngology - ENT - Pediatric surgery - Plastic surgery - Reproductive surgery - Surgical oncology - Transplant surgery - Trauma surgery - Urology - Andrology - Vascular surgery

Medicine Internal medicine - Allergy / Immunology - Angiology - Cardiology - Endocrinology - Gastroenterology - Hepatology - Geriatrics - Hematology - Hospital medicine - Infectious disease - Nephrology - Oncology - Pulmonology - Rheumatology
Obstetrics and gynaecology Gynaecology - Gynecologic oncology - Maternal–fetal medicine - Obstetrics - Reproductive endocrinology and infertility - Urogynecology
Diagnostic Radiology - Interventional radiology - Nuclear medicine - Pathology - Anatomical - Clinical pathology - Clinical chemistry - Cytopathology - Medical microbiology - Transfusion medicine
Other specialties Addiction medicine - Adolescent medicine - Anesthesiology - Dermatology - Disaster medicine - Diving medicine - Emergency medicine - Family medicine - General practice - Hospital medicine - Intensive care medicine - Medical genetics - Narcology - Neurology - Clinical neurophysiology - Occupational medicine - Ophthalmology - Oral medicine - Pain management - Palliative care - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) - Preventive medicine - Psychiatry -Addiction psychiatry - Radiation oncology - Reproductive medicine - Sexual medicine - Sleep medicine - Sports medicine - Transplantation medicine - Tropical medicine - Travel medicine - Venereology
Medical education Medical school - USMLE - Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery - Bachelor of Medical Sciences - Doctor of Medicine - Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine - Alternative medicine - Allied health - Dentistry - Podiatry - Pharmacy - Physiotherapy - Molecular oncology - Nanomedicine - Personalized medicine - Public health - Rural health - Therapy - Traditional medicine - Veterinary medicine - Physician - Chief physician - History of medicine
Misc. topics Health topics A-Z - Rare diseases - Drugs - Diet - Medicine portal - First Aid - Glossary of medicine - Health insurance - Glossary of health topics - Drug classes - Medicines - Dentistry portal - Pharmacology and Medications-Medications portal - Pharmacology portal - Psychiatry portal


Antimicrobial therapy Resources
Wikipedia


WikiMD
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD

Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Let Food Be Thy Medicine
Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD