Solution-Identify pros and cons of broad-spectrum | Homework Help

Efficiency of an antibiotic or any other anti-microbial agents is generally predicted through Antimicrobial sensitivity tests (ASTs) that measures the degree of inhibition of in-vitro microbial growth. Mueller-Hinton agar test is an example of disk-diffusion model for testing antibiotic susceptibility (Pinto, Lago, Branco, Vale-Silva & Pinheiro, 2014) . It includes starch, beef infusion, casein hydrolysate and agar. Slow diffusion of bacteria provides better zone of inhibition. Specific antibiotics are aIDed on the medium and then incubated. Slow diffusion of the antibiotics occurs. Zone of inhibition is measured with sliding calliper. The diameter of the measured zone is next compared with the chart including resistant and susceptible values.

2. Anti-microbial agents are not toxic for everything that comes in its contact. These agents are selectively toxic to certain bacteria, microbes or tissues. Anti-microbial agents remain functionally inert and non-toxic to rest of the things. For an example, hand soaps or hand sanitizers specifically act as toxins for strains of E. coli. Therefore it will not going to hamper any other microbes or human tissues. Hence it is very essential to determine the selective toxicity of any anti-microbial agents in order to use them appropriately.