What is the term for medications that specifically target bacterial infections?

The term for medications that specifically target bacterial infections is antibiotic. Antibiotics are a class of antimicrobial substances that are designed to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. They work by interfering with specific processes in bacterial cells, such as their ability to form cell walls or produce proteins essential for their survival and reproduction.

While the term antimicrobial is broader and includes any substance that can kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms (including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites), antibiotics are specifically tailored for bacterial infections. Antivirals are meant for viral infections, and antigens are substances that trigger an immune response, which are not medications at all. Understanding these distinctions is crucial in the context of pharmacology and the appropriate treatment of infections.