Final answer:
The term transdermally refers to medication administration through the skin, not to intravenous infusions. Oral routes are generally preferred for home administration of antimicrobials unless the drug absorption via the GI tract is poor. In such cases, parenteral routes like intramuscular or intravenous infusions, typically done in healthcare settings, may be employed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term transdermally refers to the method of medication administration through the skin. This is usually done in the form of patches or gels that deliver medication directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Therefore, when discussing routes of administration and considering which method would be appropriate and convenient for home administration of an antimicrobial to treat a systemic infection, intravenous infusion would be incorrectly associated with transdermal administration as intravenous implies directly into the bloodstream via a vein, commonly performed in a healthcare setting.
For the convenience of home administration and treating a systemic infection, an oral route is generally preferred if the drug is effective after GI absorption. However, if a drug is not well absorbed in the GI tract or if the patient cannot take oral medications, parenteral routes such as intramuscular or intravenous injections may be utilized, typically within a healthcare facility.
The usage of terms like transdermal and intravenous are crucial in understanding drug therapy and the pharmacokinetics behind it. Drugs administered via intravenous injections will see plasma levels rise more quickly than those administered orally or intramuscularly. This fact becomes a significant consideration when choosing the route of administration for treatments, especially in systemic infections where quick therapeutic levels in the blood are necessary.