Microbiology

Antimicrobials and Chemotherapy

Antimicrobial chemotherapy is the clinical application of antimicrobial agents to treat infectious disease. Antimicrobial chemotherapy involves the administration of drugs with selective toxicity against pathogens involved in infections, not host cells. Antibiotics, which are agents used to combat bacteria, are among the most common antimicrobials. An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth. Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they act primarily against. For example, antibiotics are used against bacteria, and antifungals are used against fungi.