Chapter 246. Antibacterial Therapy

David K. Hong and Charles G. Prober

Topics Discussed: anti-bacterial agents; antibiotics; inappropriate drug prescribing; infectious diseases.

Sections: General Principles of Antibiotic Therapy, Classification of Antibiotics, Antibiotic Resistance, Use of Antibiotics in Combination, Guidance in Antibiotic Use, Specific Antibiotics, Special Issues in Pediatric Antibiotic Therapy, References.

Excerpt:"The first antibiotic to be discovered was penicillin, a natural product of Penicillium mold. Innumerable microbial products have been investigated since then, and much work has been done in chemically modifying these natural products in an attempt to enhance the benefits while minimizing the undesirable effects. These modified products, termed semisynthetic antibiotics, increased stability and solubility, improved pharmacokinetics (ie, wider distribution and longer half-life), and increased antimicrobial activity. Minimizing the undesirable effects creates antibiotics with decreased toxicity and increased efficacy...."

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