Studies on Comparative Analysis of Antimicrobial Strength of Three Over the Counter Commonly Used Antibiotics: A Case Study in Owerri Municipal

Antibiotics are drugs that either halt bacterial growth or kills the bacteria entirely. The comparative analysis of these three most common antibiotics used in Owerri (Ceftriaxone, Erythromycin and Amoxicillin) was carried out using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia Coli as the test organisms. Susceptibility or sensitivity test is used to determine the antimicrobial activity of an antibacterial against an organism. Many methods can be used to carry out this test; broth diffusion, disc diffusion and automated instrument method. In the course of this work, Disc diffusion method was used to determine the antimicrobial strengths of the various antibiotics. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses such as common cold or influenza, drugs which inhibits viruses at termed anti-viral drugs. Antibiotics can be broad specimen or narrow specimen. Broad specimen antibiotics are those one with activity against a wide range of gram positive and gram-negative organisms. While narrow specimen antibiotics has activity against one or few types of bacteria. Antibiotics effectiveness and easy access has led to wide spread problems, so much as to prompt the World Health Organization to classify antimicrobial resistance as a serious threat, that is no longer a prediction but already in occurrence in every region of the world, and has the potential to affect anyone of any age in any country.