Antimicrobial agents are essential components in the treatment of various bacterial infections as they help to kill or prevent the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and protozoans. Prior to the discovery of antimicrobial agents, treatment options for patients with bacterial infections were limited. For many patients, treatment often resulted in the amputation of limbs or even death. Today, treatment options for bacterial infections typically have a more positive prognosis. Due to the various types of infections presented in patients, it is essential to be able to identify the underlying cause of the infection—whether bacterial or viral—before recommending drug treatments. This will help you identify whether or not an antimicrobial agent would be appropriate and which specific agent would target the infection. In this Assignment, you consider the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents for infections.

To prepare:

• Review this week’s media presentation on principles of antimicrobial therapy, as well as Chapter 8 of the Arcangelo and Peterson text.
• Consider the categories of antimicrobial agents.
• Think about differences between viral and bacterial infections.
• Reflect on why proper identification of the infection is key to selecting the proper antimicrobial agent.

Write a 2- to 3- page paper that addresses the following:

• Describe the categories of antimicrobial agents.
• Describe differences between viral and bacterial infections.
• Explain why proper identification of viral and bacterial infections is key to selecting the proper antimicrobial agent.