Why Should We Start Using Narrow Spectrum Antibiotics?

Kirk Hevener, PharmD, PhD, assistant professor of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Idaho State University, College of Pharmacy, discusses the advantages of narrow spectrum antibiotics.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

“By narrowing in on specific organisms and specifically targeting and going after, say, [Streptococcus] mutans in my case, or [Clostridium] difficile, which there [are] a lot of people that are looking at very narrow spectrum C. diff targets, you’re sparing other bacteria in the microbiome, the bulk of all the bacteria you have in your body.

By sparing those other bacteria, you’re not putting selective pressure on those other bacteria to evolve to be resistant to the antibacterials that you are using. So yes, absolutely: narrow spectrum antibacterial use will limit the development of bacterial resistance.”