broad-spectrum antibiotic

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antibiotic

[an″te-, an″ti-bi-ot´ik]

1. destructive of life.

2. a chemical substance produced by a microorganism that has the capacity, in dilute solutions, to kill other microorganisms or inhibit their growth. Antibiotics that are sufficiently nontoxic to the host are used as chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of infectious diseases. See also antimicrobial agent.

antineoplastic a's (antitumor a's) a class of antineoplastic agents that apparently affect the function or the synthesis, or both, of nucleic acids and thus are cell cycle nonspecific. See also antineoplastic therapy.

broad-spectrum antibiotic one that is effective against a wide range of bacteria, both gram-positive and gram-negative.

β-lactam antibiotic any of a group of antibiotics, including the cephalosporins and the penicillins, whose chemical structure contains a β-lactam ring.

broad-spec·trum an·ti·bi·ot·ic

an antibiotic having a wide range of activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms.

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

broad-spectrum antibiotic

A therapeutic array used to treat bacterial infections—e.g., acute otitis media.

Examples
Azithromycin, clarithromycin, cefixime, cefpodoxime proxetil, cefprozil, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime axetil, loracarbef.

Cons
Overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics facilitates development of antibiotic-resistant infections and multi-drug resistance.

broad-spec·trum an·ti·bi·ot·ic

(brawd-spek'trŭm an'tē-bī-ot'ik)

An antibiotic having a wide range of activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

References in periodicals archive ?

"These results lend additional support for more judicious use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in community-onset pneumonia," the authors write.

Poor Pneumonia Outcomes Tied to Overuse of Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics; Poor outcomes include higher mortality, longer hospital stay, and greater risk for C. difficile infection

The need for innovation in this space is essential and we are encouraged by the recent growing interest in our new class of broad-spectrum antibiotic. Moreover, we are delighted to present at the World Congress since it provides an opportunity for Recce to engage with other industry leaders to discuss the most efficient commercial and clinical pathways to address the growing global threat from antibiotic resistance.

Recce to Give Opening R&D Address at 2019 World Antibiotic Resistance Congress; Dr John Prendergast will showcase the potential of New Synthetic Antibiotics

In order for exposure to be considered narrow spectrum only, the analysis was limited to participants who had no broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure during the same time frame.

Antibiotic-obesity link 'clinically insignificant' at 10 years

In order for exposure to be considered narrow-spectrum only, the analysis was limited to participants who had no broad-spectrum antibiotic exposure during the same time frame.

Antibiotic-obesity link 'clinically insignificant' at age 10

A large proportion of these preventive, or prophylactic, prescriptions also were for broad-spectrum antibiotics or combinations of antibiotics, or were for prolonged periods, which can hasten the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and drug-resistant infections.

Drugs prescribed to kids are often inappropriate

But finding broad-spectrum antibiotics that work against all classes of bacteria is challenging and even if we discover new narrow-spectrum ones that work against particular strains, the likelihood of them becoming clinically available is slim.

The 'superantibiotics' that could save us from bacteria apocalypse

By observing the effects of broad-spectrum antibiotics and Dahuang on gastrointestinal flora translocation in rats with burns and sepsis, we found that both burns and broad-spectrum antibiotics enabled intestinal flora to translocate to the liver, lung, mesenteric lymph nodes, and blood, with E.

Sepsis and Intestinal Microvascular Endothelial Dysfunction

The emergence of human and animal pathogens resistant to one or more antibiotics coupled with the realization of the damage inflicted by broad-spectrum antibiotics on the commensal biome has led to an increased focus on bacteriocin modes of action.

The Bacteriocins: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects

Hospitals use more broad-spectrum antibiotics, which are effective against a wide range of bacteria.

Last stand in battle against the superbugs; Global threat of diseases that can't be killed by antibiotics

Overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics (e.g., second- or third-generation cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones) is especially problematic because of their potential for increased selection of resistant bacterial populations and their role in treating serious infections.

CDC grand rounds: getting smart about antibiotics

One of the most concerning findings in the recent literature is increased use of broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat common RTIs (Mainous et al.