Question

Which of the following describes why a drug may appear effective against a pathogen in clinical susceptibility tests but ineffective in a real-life context? To be marked correct, you'll need to select all applicable statements, as there may be more than one correct answer.

1. Compared to controlled susceptibility tests, the drug may be less active in a real-life context either due to drug inactivation by body processes or as a result of drug solubility issues.
2. Drug susceptibility tests are typically performed at room temperature (much cooler than human body temperature).
3. In clinical susceptibility tests, drug concentration is well controlled compared to a real-life context.
4. Unlike in controlled clinical susceptibility tests, the number of bacteria varies between tissue samples.

Answer 1

A drug may appear effective against a pathogen in clinical susceptibility tests but be ineffective in a real-life context due to factors such as drug inactivation or solubility issues, fluctuating drug concentrations, and varying bacterial populations.

Step-by-step explanation:

In clinical susceptibility tests, a drug may appear effective against a pathogen but be ineffective in a real-life context due to several reasons:

Compared to controlled susceptibility tests, the drug may be less active in a real-life context either due to drug inactivation by body processes or as a result of drug solubility issues. This means that the drug's effectiveness may be reduced when it encounters factors in the body that can render it inactive or limit its ability to dissolve and reach the targeted pathogens.

Drug concentration is well controlled in clinical susceptibility tests compared to a real-life context. In clinical tests, the drug concentration is precisely measured and maintained, whereas in real-life situations, the drug may be subject to fluctuations in concentration due to factors such as metabolism and distribution within the body.

The number of bacteria varies between tissue samples in a real-life context but is controlled in controlled clinical susceptibility tests. Real-life infections can involve varying bacterial populations in different tissues, which can affect the drug's efficacy.