Antimicrobials Flashcards
Static antimicrobials
slow or inhibit growth
Slower onset of axn
Require a functional immune system– not used in imcp’d
or life threatening situations
Cidal
kills the microbes
Does not require a functional immune system– used in imcp’d and life-threatening situation.
Fast onset of axn
Situations to use broad-spectrums
1- Wide differential
2- waiting for identification would be dangerous
3- Tx of resistant pathogens to narrow spectrum compounds
4- polymicrobial infections
Natural sources for antibiotics
Actinomycetes
Filamentous fungi
Soil bacteria
Sulfonamides
Inhibitors of metabolism/Blocks NA synthesis
Synthetic antimicrobials
Block folic acid synthesis- they’re structural analogs of PABA (component of folic acid)
Used against bacteria bc humans don’t synthesize their own folic acid.
TMP-SMX synergy
TMP (trimethoprim) blocks dihydrofolate reductase- inhibits nucleic acid synthesis
SMX (sulfamethoxazole) block dihydropteroate synthetase
Together they are v effective at inhibiting folic acid synthesis in bacteria.
Cyclines
ex: Doxycycline
inhibit protein synthesis
Bind aminoacyl site of 30S– inhibits aminoacyl tRNA from binding
Aminoglycosides
ex: Streptomycin
Interferes with formation of 30S initiation complex
Macrolides
ex: Erythromycin
binds 23S component of 50S rRNA and blocks the exit of the peptide chain.
B-lactams
Inhibit PDG/cell wall synthesis
Includes: Penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems
All are only active on growing cells
No cross-linking of PDG– weakened cell wall– increased pressure with no support– lysis.
Does not work on mycoplasma bc they don’t have cell wall, or fungi, bc they don’t have PDG.
Mechanism of B-lactams
Antibiotic binds to PBPs involved in cross-linking the cells wall.
Blocks transpeptidation
Activates bacterial autolytic enzymes/removes autolysis inhibitor–> bacterial cell lyses
Quinolones and Fluoroquinolones
Inhibit nucleic acid synthesis
They are nalidixic acid analogs.
Ex: Ciprofloxacin (fluoroquinolone)
VRE
vancomycin resistant enterococci
KPC
Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases
ESBL
Extended spectrum B-lactamases
Confer resistance to all B-lactam antibiotics (except cephamycins and carbapenems), and frequently many others like ahminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones
Why are enterococci resistant to SMX-TMP?
bc they lack folic acid synthesis pathway.
Amino glycosides are ineffective against what?
Anaerobes, bc they lack oxidative phosphorylation.
Glycopeptides are ineffective against what?
G-, bc they are too large to penetrate outer membrane
Nitroimidazoles are ineffective against what?
Aerobes, bc they lack flavodoxin which is required to activate nitroimidazoles.
Mechanisms of resistance
Altered uptake
Altered target
Drug inactivation
Altered uptake
prevents antibiotic intracellular accumulation to therapeutic level.
Often involves efflux pumps norm encoded by transposons, or membrane location transport proteins
Seen in G+ and G-
Altered target
mecA gene- encodes for PBP2a (modified transpeptidase) lowers binding affinity for B-lactam antibiotics. Transpeptidation still occurs.
Seen in S. aureus and S. pneumoniae spp.