1.3.2 Activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria

Narrow-spectrum antibiotics are effective against either Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria, whereas broad-spectrum antibiotics are effective against both types.

  • Not all Gram-positive and/or Gram-negative bacteria are affected by a single antibiotic. Can you suggest a possible reason for this?

  • This is because of the specificity of the antibiotic/bacterial target interaction, whether the bacterial species has the target in question and whether the bacteria are resistant to the antibiotic.

1.3.1 Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria

1.3.3 Bactericidal versus bacteriostatic antibiotics