Antibiotics! Flashcards
What is selective toxicity?
Antibiotics are harmful to the microbe but harmless to the human host.
Antibiotic categories work by different ___________.
Mechanisms
What is bacteriocidal?
Drugs are directly lethal to bacteria at clinically achievable concentrations
What is bacteriostatic?
• Drugs can slow bacterial growth but do not cause cell death. Compromises the bacteria enough so the immune system can sweep in and save the day.
Name two kinds of antiobiotic use?
Prophylaxis and treatment
Name some examples of using antibiotics prophylactically:
THIS IS NOT ROUTINE! ◦ Used to prevent infection ◦ Pre-surgery ◦ Special populations: heart valves, rheumatic fever ◦ Immunosuppressed
Name examples of using antibiotics as treatment:
◦ Empiric therapy
◦ Based on identification of organism
When might using a bacteriostatic antibiotic not be helpful?
If someone is immunocompromised – HIV, organ transplant, chemo drugs. Immune system can’t kick in to kill the microorgs like it should.
When does the WHO say it is ok to use abx prophylactically with surgery?
Abx should be used to prevent infection before and during surgery but NOT after.
We should be giving _____________ abx ___ hours before incision, per the WHO.
Broad spectrum, 2
Some example of when we would use abx before and during sx?
Bowel sx, c-section, abdominal sx. Not minor surgeries.
If you see someone on abx post-sx, what is likely going on?
We are actively treating an infection.
What does empiric therapy mean?
Treating someone based on experience. Based on our best guess of what is causing the infection (ex: e coli causes most UTIs, will treat for it before getting culture).
What are three main ways we want to identify bacteria?
◦ Gram positive vs. gram negative
◦ Shape: bacilli, cocci, spirilla
◦ Ability to grow in relation to oxygen: aerobic vs. anaerobic
Ideally when should a C&S be taken?
BEFORE anti-infectives are started
What is the first action we would take in a lab to ID bacteria?
Gram stain
After we have done a gram stain, what will happen in the lab?
We will begin to grow it out on a petri dish (takes up to 48 hours).
What is it called when you are growing out the bacteria?
A culture
Why is it the best practice to get a sample of the bacteria before starting anti-infectives?
You risk killing off some of the microorgs, thus making it harder to ID what the problem bacteria might be.
What does PCR stand for?
Polymerase Chain Reaction
What is the benefit of a PCR test?
We can detect bacteria and viruses and very low titers
Name some gram + organisms:
Staphylococcus, streptococus, enterococus
Name some bad things caused by gram + bacteria:
carbuncles, furuncles, impetigo, group A hemolytic strep, necrotizing fascitis, MRSA, skin, pneumonia,
catheter infections
Name some gram - organisms:
GI tract: E.coli, Shigella, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Proteus, etc.
Name some bad things caused by gram - bacteria:
H. influenza, Neisseria (meningitis & gonorrhea), pseudomonas
Where would you find anaerobic bacteria and what is probably happening/what are you seeing when you find it?
Deep wounds, tissues, and internal organs
Abscess formation, tissue destruction, foul smelling pus
Name 3 examples of anaerobic bacteria:
C.diff, clostridium botulinum, MRSA, e. coli, clostridum tetani
Are anaerobic organisms are harder or easier to treat?
Harder. These are the bad guys!
Are anaerobic organisms more often:
Gram +
Gram -
Can be both
Can be both
Name two common treatments for anaerobic microorganisms.
Flagyl, Clindamycin
We have taken our sample to send out for C&S, what kind of antibiotics do we generally start with now?
Broad spectrum (effective against a wide variety of different microorganisms)
After we get our C&S back, what kid of antibiotic do we switch to?
Narrow spectrum (effective against only one or restricted group of microorganisms)
What is an example of a broad spectrum antibiotic?
Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Penicillin
What is an example of a narrow spectrum antibiotic?
Azithromycin, Clindamycin, Vancomycin
Why do we change from broad to narrow spectrum medications?
Decreases the risk of superinfections and antibiotic resistance.
What does MIC stand for?
Minimal Inhibitory Concentration
What does MIC mean?
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration. It is the lowest concentration of antibiotic that causes inhibition of bacteria growth.
Name 6 host considerations in antibiotic selection:
Allergy Ability to penetrate the site Immunocompromised patient Foreign hardware within the body Age Genetic Factors
What is something we need to look into when we are examining an allergy to a drug?
Is it really an allergy or a SE?
Name two issues that would cause a difficult in a drug penetrating the site?
Mengitis (need a drug that will cross the BBB), abscess (is walled off, need to be drained first often)
Some drugs that have a high rate of allergic rxns?
Sulfa drugs, penicillin, cephalosporins, erythromycin
What are some example of foreign hardware within the body and how it affects which antibiotic we choose:
Hip replacement, pacemakers.
Body attacks the foreign material – the phagocytes are busy fighting this
What do we think about when dosing infants?
They have a high level of toxicity
What do we think about when dosing children adolescents?
Certain drugs should not be used
What do we think about when dosing pregnant/lactating people?
Risk to mom and fetus
What are some drugs to avoid giving during pregnancy/lactation?
Gentamicin causes hearing loss; sulfonamides causes kernicterus in nursing newborns
What do we think about when dosing older people?
Heightened sensitivity to medications
What is a genetic factor we need to consider when dosing abx?
G6PD deficiency with the use of sulfonamides (more common in African American, Middle Eastern, and male patients)
How do we know the antibiotic is working?
Clinical/lab Response
◦ Reduction in signs/symptoms and fever
◦ Reduction in WBC
◦ Peak/trough levels–checking for toxicity
Why wouldn’t we recheck the C&S while the patient is still on antibiotics?
We could get a negative culture reading, which may or may not be a true reading.
With antibiotic resistance, it is the __________ that becomes resistant, not the _________.
Microbe, patient