ORO, CHARLOU J.
DENT 3F
M4 L2 TASK 2 REVIEW QUESTIONS:
Review questions:
Answer the following briefly:
1. What is the Kirby-Bauer method in susceptibility testing?
-The Kirby-Bauer test, known as the disk-diffusion method, is the most
widely used antibiotic susceptibility test in determining what choice of
antibiotics should be used when treating an infection. This method
relies on the inhibition of bacterial growth measured under standard
conditions.
2. What are the three ranges of inhibition zones? How are they
interpreted?
The three ranges of inhibition zones are:
A. SUSCEPTIBLE (OUTER ZONE: SUSCEPTIBLE STRAIN)
-When the edge of the zone of inhibition is outside the black circle.
B. RESISTANT (INNER ZONE: RESISTANT STRAIN)
-When there is no zone, or when it lies within the white circle.
C. INTERMEDIATE (BLACK
ZONE: INTERMEDIATE
SUSCEPTIBILITY)
- When the edge of the zone of inhibition lies on the black circle.
3. How do you differentiate a broad from a narrow spectrum
antibiotic?
- Narrow-spectrum antibiotics target a few types of bacteria. Broad-
spectrum antibiotics target many types of bacteria. Both types work
well to treat infections. But using broad-spectrum antibiotics when
they're not needed can create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are hard
to treat.
- A narrow-spectrum antibiotic is an antibiotic that is only able to kill or
inhibit limited species of bacteria.
- A broad-spectrum antibiotic is an antibiotic that acts on the two major
bacterial groups, gram-positive and gram-negative, or any antibiotic
that acts against a wide range of disease-causing bacteria.
- Examples of narrow-spectrum antibiotics are the older penicillins
(penG), the macrolides and vancomycin.
- An example of a commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotic is
ampicillin.
4. What is MIC in relation to antibiotic susceptibility? How does it
affect the choice of antibiotic prescription?
-The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is used to determine
whether the bacteria can be inhibited by drug concentrations that are
achievable and safe in the blood stream. In microbiology, it is the
lowest concentration of an antimicrobial (like an antifungal, antibiotic
or bacteriostatic) drug that will inhibit the visible growth of a
microorganism after overnight incubation.
-The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) affect the choice of
antibiotic prescription by having a lower MIC value indicates that less
drug is required for inhibiting growth of the organism; therefore, drugs
with lower MIC scores are more effective antimicrobial agents.
5. Would the same procedure done above be applicable in
determining allergies in man?
-YES, same procedures done above are applicable in determining
allergies in man. For example, drug allergy occurs when our immune
system mistakenly identifies high concentration of drugs as a harmful
substance, such as a virus or bacterium. Once our immune system
detects a high concentration of drugs as a harmful substance, it will
develop an antibody specific to that drug. So, Kirby-Bauer method and
mic are helpful in determining drug concentrations that are safe and
effective in our blood stream, we need the lowest concentration or
exact amount of solution of a drug to fight the growth of
microorganisms. Antihistamines are used to fight of allergies which
means by using the Kirby-Bauer method and MIC procedure above
means that the lower the concentration, the higher the potency
fighting off these allergies.
6. Pick out any one microorganism which you have studied and try to
classify it in terms of susceptibility to any (5) common antibiotics used
in Microbiology or Pharmacology:
-I pick streptococcus pneumoniae because it is related in Microbiology
or Pharmacology, before antibiotics lack efficacy for this
microorganism, it takes years before effective Antibiotics were
produced.
MICROORGANISM ANTIBIOTICS SUSCEPTIBILITY
Streptococcus Cefotaxime Low resistance
pneumoniae
Benzylpenicillin Low resistance
Penicillin More resistant
Amoxicillin Low resistance
Erythromycin More resistant
7. What is the basis of determining a microorganism in being
susceptible or resistant to a specific antibiotic?
If the inhibition zones is bigger than or same to the area of the normal
zone, the microbes is determined and acknowledged to be susceptible
or resistant to a specific antibiotic. The Kirby-Bauer agar diffusion
method is well documented and is the standardized method for
determining antimicrobial susceptibility. White filter paper disks (6 mm
in diameter) are impregnated with known amounts of antimicrobial
agents. Each disk is coded with the name and concentration of the
agent.
8. How would tolerance or resistance to a certain antibiotic be
explained to a person who is not from a medically related field?
-In simple terms, I would just explain to him or her that Antibiotic
resistance happens when germs like bacteria and fungi develop the
ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. That means the germs
are not killed and continue to grow. Infections caused by antibiotic-
resistant germs are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat. Not
mentioning any specific types of bacteria or species related to
microbiology because non medically related field individuals cannot
understand.
REFERENCES:
https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/about.html
https://www.tmcc.edu/microbiology-resource-center/lab-protocols/antimicrobial-susceptibility-testing
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3667286/
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-microbiology/chapter/measuring-drug-susceptibility/ -
:~:text=Minimum%20inhibitory%20concentration%20(MIC)%20can,are%20more%20effective
%20antimicrobial%20agents.
https://apua.org/glossary - :~:text=Examples%20of%20narrow%2Dspectrum%20antibiotics,)%2C%20the
%20macrolides%20and%20vancomycin.
https://www.pcori.org/research-results/2013/comparing-broad-and-narrow-spectrum-antibiotics-
children-ear-sinus-and-throat - :~:text=Narrow%2Dspectrum%20antibiotics%20target%20a,that%20are
%20hard%20to%20treat.
http://shs-manual.ucsc.edu/policy/kirby-bauer-antibiotic-sensitivity - :~:text=The%20Kirby%2DBauer
%20test%2C%20known,growth%20measured%20under%20standard%20conditions.
