Substance that prevents bacteria’s proliferation.

It is different from an ANTIMICROBIAL, acting the latter on different kind of microorganisms.

It differs from a BACTERICIDE that is able to kill bacteria. It can be both of a physical and chemical nature. A bactericide can be organic (alcohol, aldehydes, phenols and surfactants) or inorganic (acids, alkali, halogen and oxidizers). it act by denaturing bacteria’s proteins or breaking the cellular wall by mechanical stress, therefore resulting in the death of microorganisms.

An antibacterial agent also differs from BACTERIOSTATIC agents that, by definition, are able to partially or completely inhibit bacteria’s reproduction when an attack has already occured. Unlike bactericides (often used as a synonym of bacteriostatics), they do not cause death of bacteria since they only prevent their reproduction.