Question

Using the data from the table on page 23, identify one narrow spectrum and one broad spectrum antibiotic. Give an example to explain why you chose each antibiotic. Narrow spectrum: Broad spectrum: Evaluation of the NON-ANTIBIOTIC products. Product Zone (mm)

Answer 1

Narrow Spectrum:

Penicillin is a narrow spectrum antibiotic.

From the data given in the table, it can be inferred that two micro organisms S.aureus and E.faecalis are susceptible to penicillin. As we know that both of these organisms are gram positive, the sensitivity of Penicillin is for gram positive organisms only. Also penicillin does not show any sensitivity (either susceptible, resistant or intermediate) towards E.coli, P.aeroginosa, S.marcescens, P.vulgaris. This indicates that penicillin does not act on gram negative bacteria. Hence penicillin is a narrow spectrum antibiotic,

Broad Spectrum:

Gentamycin is a broad spectrum antibiotic.

From the data given in the table, it can be inferred that two gram positive micro organisms S.aureus and E.faecalis are susceptible to gentamycin. Also the gram negative organisms E.coli, P.aeroginosa, S.marcescens, P.vulgaris are susceptible to gentamycin. This indicates that gentamycin is effective on both gram positive and gram negative bacteria and the table suggests that all the organisms are susceptible to it. Hence it is a broad spectrum antibiotic.