Which drug class does Vancomycin belong to?

Vancomycin belongs to the bactericidal drug class. This means that it effectively kills bacteria, rather than merely inhibiting their growth, which is characteristic of bacteriostatic agents. Vancomycin works primarily by interfering with the synthesis of bacterial cell walls. By binding to specific sites on the cell wall precursors, it disrupts the construction of the cell wall, ultimately leading to the death of the bacteria.

This mechanism is particularly important in the treatment of serious bacterial infections, especially those caused by gram-positive organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Its efficacy as a bactericidal agent makes it a critical choice in clinical settings, particularly when treating severe infections where other antibiotics may not be effective.

The other drug classes listed, such as antiviral and antifungal, target entirely different types of pathogens and employ different mechanisms of action, making them unrelated to how Vancomycin functions. Additionally, while bacteriostatic agents are useful in slowing bacterial growth, they do not kill the bacteria, which is why they are not applicable to Vancomycin's classification.