NURS 5334 ANTIMICROBIALS FINAL STUDY
GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
GRADED A+
●● Antimicrobial.
Answer: Any agent of a natural or synthetic that can kill or suppress
micro-organisms
●● Antimicrobial drugs classification by susceptible organism.
Answer: Narrow-spectrum antibiotics (preferred)
Broad-spectrum antibiotics
●● Classified by mechanism of action.
Answer: Drugs that work on cell wall synthesis
Drugs that increase cell membrane permeability
Drugs that cause lethal inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis
Drugs that cause non-lethal inhibition of protein synthesis
Drugs that inhibit bacterial synthesis of DNA and RNA, or disrupt DNA
function
Anti-metabolites
Drugs that suppress viral replication
, ●● Drugs that inhibit cell wall synthesis.
Answer: Penicillins and cephalosporins
Weaken cell wall, hence promote bacterial lysis and death
●● Drugs that increase cell membrane permeability.
Answer: Amphotericin B
Increase the permeability of cell membranes causing leakage of
intracellular material
●● Drugs that cause lethal inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis.
Answer: Aminoglycosides; gentamicin
●● Drugs that cause non-lethal inhibition of protein synthesis.
Answer: Tetracyclines
Inhibit bacterial protein synthesis, and only slow microbial growth, but
do not kill the bacteria at clinically achievable concentrations
●● Drugs that inhibit bacterial synthesis of DNA and RNA, or disrupt
DNA function.
Answer: Rifampin, metronidazole, and fluoroquinolones
Binding directly to the nucleic acids or by interacting with enzymes
required for nucleic acid synthesis, and can also bind with DNA and
disrupt its function
GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
GRADED A+
●● Antimicrobial.
Answer: Any agent of a natural or synthetic that can kill or suppress
micro-organisms
●● Antimicrobial drugs classification by susceptible organism.
Answer: Narrow-spectrum antibiotics (preferred)
Broad-spectrum antibiotics
●● Classified by mechanism of action.
Answer: Drugs that work on cell wall synthesis
Drugs that increase cell membrane permeability
Drugs that cause lethal inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis
Drugs that cause non-lethal inhibition of protein synthesis
Drugs that inhibit bacterial synthesis of DNA and RNA, or disrupt DNA
function
Anti-metabolites
Drugs that suppress viral replication
, ●● Drugs that inhibit cell wall synthesis.
Answer: Penicillins and cephalosporins
Weaken cell wall, hence promote bacterial lysis and death
●● Drugs that increase cell membrane permeability.
Answer: Amphotericin B
Increase the permeability of cell membranes causing leakage of
intracellular material
●● Drugs that cause lethal inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis.
Answer: Aminoglycosides; gentamicin
●● Drugs that cause non-lethal inhibition of protein synthesis.
Answer: Tetracyclines
Inhibit bacterial protein synthesis, and only slow microbial growth, but
do not kill the bacteria at clinically achievable concentrations
●● Drugs that inhibit bacterial synthesis of DNA and RNA, or disrupt
DNA function.
Answer: Rifampin, metronidazole, and fluoroquinolones
Binding directly to the nucleic acids or by interacting with enzymes
required for nucleic acid synthesis, and can also bind with DNA and
disrupt its function
