Which combination is a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor pair?

Which combination is a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor pair?

• A. Co-Trimoxazole
• B. Co-Trimazine
• C. Co-Amoxiclav
• D. Co-Trimethoprim

Answer: (C)

Combining a beta-lactam antibiotic with a beta-lactamase inhibitor lets the drug stay active even when bacteria produce enzymes that would normally destroy it. Amoxicillin paired with clavulanic acid is the classic example: amoxicillin fights the bacterial cell wall, and clavulanic acid blocks the beta-lactamases that would inactivate the antibiotic, broadening its effectiveness against resistant organisms. The other options are not beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations; they are mixtures of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, which work by inhibiting folate synthesis and do not involve a beta-lactam antibiotic or a beta-lactamase inhibitor.

Combining a beta-lactam antibiotic with a beta-lactamase inhibitor lets the drug stay active even when bacteria produce enzymes that would normally destroy it. Amoxicillin paired with clavulanic acid is the classic example: amoxicillin fights the bacterial cell wall, and clavulanic acid blocks the beta-lactamases that would inactivate the antibiotic, broadening its effectiveness against resistant organisms. The other options are not beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations; they are mixtures of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, which work by inhibiting folate synthesis and do not involve a beta-lactam antibiotic or a beta-lactamase inhibitor.