Which term best describes an antimicrobial that inhibits growth but does not kill?

Which term best describes an antimicrobial that inhibits growth but does not kill?

• A. Bacteriostatic
• B. Bactericidal
• C. Kirby-Bauer Test
• D. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)

Answer: (A)

Antimicrobials can either inhibit growth or kill bacteria. An antimicrobial that inhibits growth but does not kill is bacteriostatic. This means the drug prevents bacteria from multiplying, keeping their numbers steady while the immune system works to clear the infection. If the agent were bactericidal, it would actively kill the bacteria rather than just halting their replication. The Kirby-Bauer test is a method to assess whether a bacterium is susceptible to an antibiotic, not the specific growth effect of the drug. The minimum inhibitory concentration is the lowest drug concentration that prevents visible growth, not the label for the drug’s action. So bacteriostatic best describes an antimicrobial that stops growth without killing.

Antimicrobials can either inhibit growth or kill bacteria. An antimicrobial that inhibits growth but does not kill is bacteriostatic. This means the drug prevents bacteria from multiplying, keeping their numbers steady while the immune system works to clear the infection. If the agent were bactericidal, it would actively kill the bacteria rather than just halting their replication. The Kirby-Bauer test is a method to assess whether a bacterium is susceptible to an antibiotic, not the specific growth effect of the drug. The minimum inhibitory concentration is the lowest drug concentration that prevents visible growth, not the label for the drug’s action. So bacteriostatic best describes an antimicrobial that stops growth without killing.