 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
You Consult the Medical Diagnosis Book In the Antimicrobial Therapy section, you learn the steps that physicians go through when prescribing antibiotics. Whenever possible, they culture the suspected pathogen and test the proposed antibiotic on the culture before administering it to the patient. However, they're also aware that to stop some serious cases, it's best not to wait for test results. When the pathogen is not fully known, the physician must make a "best guess" based on what IS known about the infectious organism. If it is a Gram-positive coccus, for example, it can usually be treated successfully with penicillin, because penicillin is generally known to be effective against that type of bacterium. Physicians generally prefer bacteriocidal antibiotics, because they actively kill the infectious bacteria. This is especially true in advanced cases. Bacteriostatic antibiotics suppress bacterial growth, which gives the patient's natural defenses time to kill off the infection. Next, a section on "Food Poisoning" catches your eye. |
|
|
An Access Excellence Science Mystery sponsored by Genentech, Inc. |
