Antibiotic prophylaxis
Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Antibiotic prophylaxis (pronunciation: an-ti-bi-ot-ic pro-fil-ax-is) is a preventive measure in which antibiotics are administered to decrease the risk of bacterial infections.
Etymology
The term 'antibiotic prophylaxis' is derived from two words. 'Antibiotic' is a term coined by Selman Waksman in 1942, derived from the Greek words 'anti' meaning 'against' and 'bios' meaning 'life'. 'Prophylaxis' is derived from the Greek word 'prophylaktikos' meaning 'guarding beforehand'.
Usage
Antibiotic prophylaxis is commonly used in medical and dental procedures to prevent infections, especially in patients with certain health conditions that put them at high risk. It is also used in surgical procedures to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs).
Related Terms
- Antibiotics: Drugs used to treat bacterial infections.
- Infection: Invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues.
- Surgical Site Infections (SSIs): Infections that occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place.
- Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) organisms or as parasites (dependent on another organism for life).
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Antibiotic prophylaxis
- Wikipedia's article - Antibiotic prophylaxis
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