3. Hospital acquired infections post-session

Question 1

When does antibiotic resistance occur?

Answer 1

When germs like fungi and bacteria develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them. Germs aren’t killed and continue to grow

Question 2

What are antimicrobials?

Answer 2

Drugs used to treat infections and disease caused by microbes

Question 3

What are the 2 types of microbes?

Answer 3

Bacteria (treated with antibiotics) and fungal (treated with antifungals)

Question 4

Where do you typically find antibiotic resistant DNA in bacteria?

Answer 4

Plasmids (small pieces of DNA that carry genetic instructions from one germ to another)

Question 5

What gram of bacteria have an outer layer that protects from their antibiotic drugs?

Answer 5

Gram negative

Question 6

How do germs get rid of antibiotics?

Answer 6

use pumps in their cell walls to remove antibiotic drugs that enter the cell

e.g. Some Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria can produce pumps to get rid of several different important antibiotic drugs, including fluoroquinolones, beta-lactams, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim.

Question 7

What other resistance mechanisms can bacteria use?

Answer 7

Change or destroy antibiotics using an enzyme

Bypass the effects of the antibiotic - develop new cell processes that avoid using the antibiotic’s target

Change the targets for the antibiotic - germs change the antibiotic’s target so the drug can no longer fit and do it’s job.

Question 8

What is sepsis?

Answer 8

Body’s extreme response to an infection which can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death

Question 9

What is meant by a shock?

Answer 9

Imbalance in supply and demand

Question 10

What is the sequence of septic shock?

Answer 10

Hypotension(high BP) > tachycardia (high heart rate) > tachypnoea(high respiratory rate)

Question 11

How are antibiotics administered during sepsis?

Answer 11

Intravenously because they have a faster delivery than oral antibiotics

Question 12

What form of penicillin is suitable for oral use?

Answer 12

Penicillin V

Question 13

How can an altered metabolism profile lead to antibiotic evasion?

Answer 13

Increased production of enzyme substrate can out compete antibiotic inhibitor

Or the bacteria can just switch to another metabolic pathway

Question 14

What 2 HAIs did the Healthcare Associated Infections Objectives for Healthy People 2020 address?

Answer 14

CLABSI (Central Line Associated BloodStream Infections) - when germs enter the bloodstream through the central line

MRSA - causes life threatening bloodstream infections, pneumonia and surgical site infections