A Decreased Efficacy of an Antimicrobial Agent During Combination Therapy

Question

A decreased efficacy of an antimicrobial agent during combination therapy is called:
A)antagonism
B)cross-resistance
C)synergism
D)second-line

Accepted Answer

Antagonism refers to the decreased effectiveness of an antimicrobial agent during combination therapy. Cross-resistance refers to the ability of a microbe to resist multiple antimicrobial agents due to a shared mechanism of action or similar chemical structure. Synergism refers to the increased effectiveness of an antimicrobial agent when used in combination with another, and second-line refers to an alternative treatment option used when first-line therapies fail.