JEE Advanced levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 3 of 3el159
According to the standard NCERT treatment, penicillin G is effective mainly against Gram-positive bacteria and kills them, while ofloxacin acts against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and kills them, chloramphenicol acts against both groups but only stops their growth. Which of the following is correctly described as a broad-spectrum bactericidal antibiotic?
AOfloxacin
BPenicillin G
CChloramphenicol
DNone of these
Answer: A
Broad-spectrum means active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and bactericidal means the cells are killed. Ofloxacin meets both conditions, penicillin G is narrow-spectrum, and chloramphenicol is only bacteriostatic.