MI: Antimicrobials 1 Flashcards
Examples of selective targets for antibiotics
Peptidoglycan layer of cell wall
Inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis
Inhibition of DNA gyrase and other prokaryote specific enzymes
What is the broad mechanism of action of beta lactams?
Inhibition of cell wall synthesis
What is the broad mechanism of action of glycopeptide antibiotics?
Inhibition of cell wall synthesis
What 4 groups of antibiotics are classified as beta lactams?
Penicillins
Cephalosporins
Carbapenems
Monobactams - not used much, recently reintroduced for drug resistance
Name 2 glycopeptide antibiotics
Vancomycin
Teicoplanin
Describe the mechanism of action of beta lactams
Inhibits transpeptidase, which is an enzyme that forms cross links during cell wall synthesis.
The resulting cell wall is therefore weak, and so the bacteria lyse because of osmotic pressure.
*They are effective against rapidly dividing bacteria - not useful if the cell wall has already been formed e.g. inert bacteria in abcess*
Not effective against organism without peptipoglycan cell wall e.g. mycoplasma, chlamydia
Bactericidal
How does the cell wall of gram pos and gram neg bacteria differ?
Gram pos: thick peptidoglycan layer, no outer membrane
Gram neg: thin peptidoglycan layer, has an outer membrane (some antibiotics can’t get through this e.g. vancomycin)
*Gram pos stain purple, gram neg stain pink*
gram positive stain
deep purple
gram negative stain
pink
What bacteria is penicillin active against?
Gram pos
Streptococci, clostridia
Not effective against organisms with no peptidoglycan cell wall e.g. mycoplasma and chlamydia
What bacteria is amoxicillin active against?
Broad spectrum penicillin: gram pos and many gram neg
*Broken down by beta lactamase produced by S. aureus and other microorganisms*
Which beta lactam antibiotic is effective against pseudomonas?
Piperacillin
*Broken down by beta lactamase*
Pseudomonas is important hospital associated pathogen
what beta lactam is stable to beta lactamase
Flucloxacillin
How can beta lactam resistance be overcome?
Include a beta lactamase inhibitor
Eg. Clavulanic acid + amoxicllin (in co-amoxiclav aka augmentin)
Eg. Tazobactam + piperacillin (in tazocin)
Alternatively, create antibiotics that are stable to beta lactamase eg. flucloxacillin
Recall an antibiotic that is associated with C. difficile
Ceftriaxone (cephalosporin)
Examples of cephalosporins
Cefalexin (1st generation)
Cefuroxime (2nd generation)
Ceftriaxone (3rd generation)
Ceftazidime (3rd generation)
Cefotaxime (3rd generation, paediatric cefotriaxone, anti-pseudomonas)
*As cephalosporins progressed from 1st to 3rd generation, they became more effective against gram negative and less effective against gram positive*
What limits the use of cephalosporins?
Extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing organisms are resistant to cephalosporins
Also non-cover anaerobes
Which beta lactam antibiotics are stable to ESBL organisms?
Carbapenems
*However, carbapenemase enzyme producing organisms (acinetobacter and klebsiella) are becoming more prevalent*
Meropenem, Ertapenem, Imipenem
What is resistant to carbapenems
Klebsiella, Actineobacter
Carbapenemases
Recall the key features of beta lactams
Relatively non-toxic
Renally excreted so decrease dose if renal impairment
Short half-life
Will not cross intact BBB (but can cross in meningitis)
Cross allergenic – penicillin has 2% cross reactivity with cephalosporins and carbapenems
What type of bacteria are glycopeptides effective against?
Gram pos only - they are large molecules so can’t penetrate gram neg cell wall
What are glycopeptides particularly useful for?
MRSA infection (IV)
C.diff infection (oral vancomycin)
Would you prefer to give beta lactam or glycopeptide
would prefer to use beta lactam over glycopeptides
faster activity, less toxic
What is a caution of glycopeptide antibiotics?
They are nephrotoxic
Recall the broad mechanism of action of glycopeptide antibiotics
Prevent peptide cross links in cell wall
They bind to the amino acid chains at the end of peptidoglycan precursors, to prevent glycosidic bond formation. They prevent transpeptidase activity without directly binding to the enzyme.
What Abx classes inhibt protein synthesis
Aminoglycosides
Tetracyclines
Macrolides
Chloramphenicol
Oxazolidinones (e.g. Linezolid)
Recall the broad mechanism of action of aminoglycosides
Bind to 30s ribosomal subunit, preventing elongation of polypeptide chain
*This doesn’t explain their rapid bactericidal activity - full mechanism is unknown*
No activity against anaerobes
Recall 2 examples of aminoglycoside antibiotics
gentamicin
amikacin
Gentamicin + tobramycin - against pseudomonas
What type of bacteria are aminoglycoside antibiotics effective against?
Gram neg
Aerobes (no activity against anaerobes)
Recall 2 toxicities of aminoglycosides
Ototoxicity
Nephrotoxicity
Must monitor levels
What type of bacteria are macrolides effective against?
Gram pos
What are macrolides particularly useful for?
Mild staph or strep infections in patients who are allergic to penicillin