Final answer:
The antimicrobial susceptibility testing indicates if a pathogen is resistant or sensitive to an antimicrobial agent. Semisynthetic drugs are modified natural compounds with a broader spectrum of activity. The Kirby-Bauer Disk Diffusion Test measures the effectiveness of antimicrobials by the size of the inhibition zone around the discs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The antimicrobial susceptibility testing of an isolated pathogen indicates whether a pathogen is resistant or sensitive to the antimicrobial agent. The correct answer to the first question is A) Resistant, sensitive.
A scientist discovers that a soil bacterium he has been studying produces an antimicrobial that kills gram-negative bacteria. After modifying a chemical side chain to a hydroxyl group, the compound also kills gram-positive bacteria, making the new antimicrobial drug with broad-spectrum activity considered to be B. semisynthetic.
Antibiogram utility reveals that it shows antimicrobial susceptibility trends for an individual patient. The correct answer to this question would be B) for an individual patient.
The Kirby-Bauer Disk Diffusion Test is used in antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) to determine the effectiveness of antimicrobials. A larger zone of inhibition in this test would indicate a more effective disinfectant against the microbe being tested.
Broad-spectrum antimicrobials are chosen to treat infections when a narrow-spectrum drug fails because of the development of drug resistance by the target pathogen.