Antimicrobial Drugs Flashcards
What is an Infection?
When an organism enters another and causes disease.This is usually achieved through replication of the invading organism
Numerous agents can cause infection: (5)
Bacteria Fungus Virus Protozoans Helminths
Describe bacteria
Prokaryotic, single-celled microscopic organisms
• Shapes: spherical, rod, spiral, coma, filamentous, star-shaped, rectangular, hyphae
• No nucleus, contains cell wall (stains gram positive or negative)
Infections: bacterial meningitis of the CNS, staphylococcus aureus, chlamydia, sinusitis, upper respiratory tract infections, gastritis, some food poisonings
Describe Fungi
(larger and more complex than bacteria)
• Mould (can produce persistent spores) and yeast (unicellular)
• Saprophytic (feeds on dead organic matter)
• Parasitic (feeds on living organisms)
• Fungal pathogens exist insoil, decaying plants or the general environment. It includes normal flora (skin, mouth, GIT, vagina)
Mild and superficial vs. life threatening and systemic
Describe Protozoa
One-celled animals; classified based on their mechanism of movement:
• Sarcodina - the amoeba (e.g. Entamoeba)
• Mastigophora - the flagellates (e.g. Giardia, Leishmania)
• Ciliophora - the ciliates (e.g. balantidium)
• Sporozoa - organisms whose adult stage is not motile (e.g. plasmodium, cryptosporidium)
*Infections range from asymptomatic to life-threatening
Describe Viruses
Intracellular parasites which gain entry into human hosts by binding to receptors on cell membranes - thus, specific receptors are needed. Once inside host cells, they utilise host cellular metabolic activities for survival and replication –> release more virus from the infected cell into the blood and surrounding tissues –> spread to other cells and process repeats (the body produces antibodies to the virus and then develops immunity)
How an infection effects its host is dependent on a number of factors such as how they became —— in the first instance
How an infection effects its host is dependent on a number of factors such as how they became exposed in the first instance
Transmission
Infections is transferred to the host
Mechanism of Transmission (9)
- Skin-to-skin, lesion secretion or mucosal surface (herpes, syphilis)
- Placenta (HIV, Rubella)
- Transplants/ transfusion (Hepatitis B/C, HIV)
- Faecal - Oral (Enterovirus)
- Water (Hepatitis A)
- Air-borne (chickenpox)
- Objects (Scarlet fever, toys in a nursery)
- Vectors (Malaria)
- Sneezes, coughs (droplets) (Influenza)
Host Defence Mechanisms
• Physical Barriers:
○ Intact skins and mucous membranes prevent infections from entering
○ Expels the infective process through mechanical movement including coughing, swallowing, peristalsis
• Anti-infective secretions and Immune inflammatory processes (prevent or minimise infection spreading to the rest of the body)
○ Phagocytic cells
○ Immune Processes
○ Inflammatory processes
Impairments to the host defence mechanism can lead to the host susceptible to infections. These include: (4)
- Damage to the physical barrier (breaks in the skin and mucous membrane)
- Trauma
- Inflammation
- Open lesions
- These breaks may be intentional (insertion of prosthetic devices, tubes, catheters)
Impairments in the host defences may also be related to (7)
- Malnutrition
- Poor personal hygiene
- Physicality problems (e.g. suppression of immune system through medications)
- Other treatment or pathophysiology (e.g. those effecting blood supply, neutropenia and other blood disorders)
- Diabetes mellitus
- Other chronic diseases
- Advanced age
What is infection diagnosis ?
Using diagnostic tests and identifying signs and symptoms through a physical assessment to determine which body systems are affected (microscopy, culture, immunologic tests, nucleic acid based identification, non-nucleic acid based identification)
What is susceptibility testing?
Determines an infective processes vulnerability to antimicrobial drugs - done by exposing the organism to specific concentrations of antimicrobial drugs (can be done for bacteria, fungi, viruses). *Result of one drug may predict similar results of another drug
What are antimicrobial medications used to treat? When are they necessary?
Antimicrobial medications are used to treat or prevent infections caused by pathogens. They are necessary when host defence mechanisms are inadequate to combat infection.
Antibacterial agents can be a ——/—— (synthesised in the lab) or ——– (hybrid)
Antibacterial agents can be a synthetic agent/ chemotherapeutic (synthesised in the lab) or semi-synthetic (hybrid)
What does a high therapeutic index mean?
Interferes with vital functions of bacteria with minimal effects on host cells
Bactericidal
Kills bacteria
Bacteriostatic
stops bacteria from reproducing
There are several classes of antibacterial compounds that are typically classified based on their —— ——-
There are several classes of antibacterial compounds that are typically classified based on their bacterial target
Once an infection is suspected/ confirmed, a —— ——can be used to identify the infecting pathogen (bacteria)
Once an infection is suspected/ confirmed, a gram stain can be used to identify the infecting pathogen
For some pathogens, it may be possible to make a diagnosis based on —— ——-, clinical signs, and ——– examination
For some pathogens, it may be possible to make a diagnosis based on past history, clinical signs, and physical examination
——— treatment may be commenced prior to confirmation to prevent ——- in treatment which may cause harm to the patient. These clinical decisions are typically based on established guidelines
Empirical treatment may be commenced prior to confirmation to prevent delay in treatment which may cause harm to the patient. These clinical decisions are typically based on established guidelines
If the pathogen is unknown, a ———- drug (single/combo) may be appropriate. Once a known pathogen is known and confirmed, a ———– drug may be appropriate
If the pathogen is unknown, a broad-spectrum drug (single/combo) may be appropriate. Once a known pathogen is known and confirmed, a narrow spectrum drug may be appropriate
Patient factors are important when selecting therapy: (4)
- Patient history or drug allergies
- Ability to excrete and metabolise the medication (renal and hepatic function)
- Contraindications for children, pregnancy, lactation
- Drug-drug interactions
ARM emerge (grow and multiply) —— or —— antimicrobial therapy when susceptible organisms (including normal flora) are ——–
ARM emerge (grow and multiply) during or after antimicrobial therapy when susceptible organisms (including normal flora) are suppressed
ARM leads to prolonged ——- or hospitalised medications and increased mortality –> often more —— and ——– medications are required
ARM leads to prolonged illness or hospitalised medications and increased mortality –> often more toxic and expensive medications are required
ARM occurs due to —– (using medication when not needed), —— (not taking the full course), —– (not an appropriate drug) or —— of antimicrobial treatment
ARM occurs due to overuse (using medication when not needed), interruption (not taking the full course), inappropriate (not an appropriate drug) or misuse of antimicrobial treatment