Editing Bacteriostatic agent

{{Short description|Agent that stops bacteria from reproducing}}
[[File:Bacteriostatic agent and bactericidal agent - en.png|thumb|An illustration shows the different effects of the bacteriostatic agent and bactericidal agent]]
A '''bacteriostatic agent''' or '''bacteriostat''', abbreviated '''Bstatic''', is a biological or chemical agent that stops [[bacteria]] from reproducing, while not necessarily killing them otherwise. Depending on their application, bacteriostatic [[antibiotic]]s, [[disinfectant]]s, [[antiseptic]]s and [[preservative]]s can be distinguished. When bacteriostatic antimicrobials are used, the duration of therapy must be sufficient to allow host defense mechanisms to eradicate the bacteria. Upon removal of the bacteriostat, the bacteria usually start to grow rapidly. This is in contrast to [[bactericide]]s, which kill bacteria.<ref name="pmid14999632">{{cite journal | vauthors = Pankey GA, Sabath LD | title = Clinical relevance of bacteriostatic versus bactericidal mechanisms of action in the treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections | journal = Clin. Infect. Dis. | volume = 38 | issue = 6 | pages = 864–70 |date=March 2004 | pmid = 14999632 | doi = 10.1086/381972 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

Bacteriostats are often used in [[plastic]]s to prevent growth of bacteria on surfaces. Bacteriostats commonly used in laboratory work include [[sodium azide]] (which is acutely toxic) and [[thiomersal]].{{cn|date=February 2024}}
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==Bacteriostatic antibiotics==
Bacteriostatic antibiotics limit the growth of [[bacteria]] by interfering with bacterial [[protein]] production, [[DNA]] replication, or other aspects of bacterial cellular [[metabolism]]. They must work together with the immune system to remove the microorganisms from the body.  However, there is not always a precise distinction between them and bactericidal antibiotics; high concentrations of some bacteriostatic agents are also bactericidal, whereas low concentrations of some [[bactericidal]] agents are bacteriostatic. This group<ref name="isbn1-4051-3543-3">{{cite book | veditors = Andrews J, Shetty N, Tang JW | vauthors = Shetty N, Aarons E, Andrews J | title = Infectious Disease: Pathogenesis, Prevention and Case Studies | publisher = Wiley-Blackwell | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-1-4051-3543-6 | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jNW-lToR2FgC&q=Bacteriostatic+antibiotics+Tetracyclines++sulfonamides&pg=PA141 | chapter = Chapter 5: General principles of antimicrobial therapy }}</ref> includes:
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* [[Chloramphenicol]]
* [[Clindamycin]]
* [[Ethambutol]]
* [[Lincosamides]]
* [[Macrolides]]
* [[Nitrofurantoin]]
* [[Novobiocin]]
* [[Oxazolidinone]]
* [[Spectinomycin]]
* [[Sulfonamide (medicine)|Sulfonamides]]
* [[Tetracyclines]]
* [[Tigecycline]]
* [[Trimethoprim]]
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== See also ==
* [[List of antibiotics]]
* [[Oligodynamic effect]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Pharmacology}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacteriostatic Agent}}
[[Category:Antibiotics]]


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