Antimicrobial Resistance Flashcards
What is antimicrobial resistance?
- Ability to survive the action of chemotherapeutic agents
- The bacteria becomes resistant
What is intrinsic resistance?
- Inability to reach target (aminoglycosides vs anaerobes)
- Inability to deliver action (metronidazole vs aerobes)
- Lack of target effect (penicillins vs mycoplasmas)
What is acquired resistance?
- Vertical = mutational
- Horizontal = conjugation, transduction, translocation/transformation
What is mutational resistance?
- Bacteria mutates to become resistant to antibiotics
What is conjugation resistance?
- Two gram-negative bacteria attach via a pilus and plasmids are exchanged
What is transduction resistance?
- Plasmids become enclosed with bacteriophages and are transferred between cells
What is translocation/transformation resistance?
- Free DNA absorbed from the environment
What are the 4 mechanisms of resistance?
- Enzymatic breakdown
- Altered target site
- Decreased intracellular accumulation
- Alternative metabolic pathways
What are biofilms?
- Multiple colonies of bacteria
What is cross resistance?
- Bacteria can become multi-resistant to multiple antibiotics
- Common in closely associated genes
What antibiotics are on the WHO list of CIA?
- Cephalosporins
- Fluoroquinolones
- Glycopeptides
- Macrolides
What are the key factors in the development of resistance?
- Inappropriate dosage
- Biosecurity threats
- Lack of monitoring
- Poor compliance
- Unnecessary use
- Environmental contamination
- Increased use
- Food residues
What is the 7-point plan for responsible use of antimicrobials?
1- Educate clients to avoid need for antimicrobials
2- Avoid inappropriate use
3- Choose the right drug for the right disease
4- Monitor antimicrobial sensitivity
5- Minimise use
6- Record and justify deviations from protocols
7- Report suspected treatment failure to the VMD
