Bacitracin (gram +) + Polymyxin B (gram -) yields which medication?

• A. Polysporin
• B. Neosporin
• C. Augmentin
• D. Penicillin

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that combining bacitracin with polymyxin B creates a topical antibiotic mix that covers both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria commonly found on the skin. Bacitracin fights gram-positive organisms, while polymyxin B disrupts the outer membranes of gram-negative bacteria. The product that blends exactly these two drugs is Polysporin, which is used for minor skin infections.

Neosporin, in contrast, adds another antibiotic (neomycin) to the mix, making a triple-drug formulation with different allergy considerations. Augmentin is an oral antibiotic (amoxicillin-clavulanate) and not the bacitracin-polymyxin B combination. Penicillin is a classic systemic antibiotic, not this topical two-drug product. So the medication formed by bacitracin plus polymyxin B is Polysporin.