If a bacterial isolate shows intermediate to moderate resistance to an antibiotic,?

Question

how might this antibiotic still be successfully used in the treatment of this microbe?

Thanks :)

Answer 1

You would give a dose of antibiotics that would be strong enough to kill it, ie. a high dose.  Usually antibiotics are potent even at very small doses, so a high dose for the bug would still be pretty low for the person taking it.

And, not all drugs kill the bacteria, some just allow the body a chance to kill them and remove them by really stopping the growth for a while.  then the body can clear them.  It depends on the drug.

Answer 2

You would use a higher dose of the antibiotic as long as toxicity is not an issue.  Otherwise, a combination of two antibiotics (e.g. trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) may act synergistically to make them more effective.  But practically speaking, you would simply choose an antibiotic that shows a greater efficacy against the bacteria in question.