9.1 Infection and Antimicrobials Flashcards
(39 cards)
Normal Microbial Flora
- Protect host by occupying space and consuming nutrients inhibiting pathogens from proliferation
- Pathogens thrive if normal flora is supresssed
Antibiotic Therapy
- Necessary when host defense mechanisms are not adequate to ward off infection
- 1/3 - 1/2 hospitalized patients are treated with antimicrobials
- Used to treat/prevent infections caused by pathogens
Antimicrobial/Antibiotic
Antibiotic - Produced from one microbe that has the ability to harm other microbes.
Antimicrobial - Any agent capable of suppressing or killing microorganisms.
Chemotherapy - Use of chemical agents against invading organisms.
Antibacterial Drugs
- Can be broad or narrow spectrum
- Classified by kinds of organisms they are effective against
Antibacterial
- Bacterial infections
staphylococcus, streptococcus, gonorrhea
Antiviral
- Used for viral infections
Chicken pox, influenza, HIV
Antifungal
Used for fungal infections
Athletes foot, oral thrush, vaginal yeast, mucormycotic
Antiprotozoal
- Used for protozoal infections (parasite)
Malaria, amoebic dysentery
Anthelminthic Agent
Parasitic Infections
Tape worm, schistosomiasis
Antimicrobial Drug Classifications
- They are classified by their mechanism of action or what part of the target the drug acts on
Ribosome
Aminoglycosides, Macrolides, Ketolides, Tetracyclines, Linezolid, and Quinupristin/Dalfopristin
These drugs bind to ribosomes and inhibit production of essential proteins (Inhibition of Protein Synthesis)
Aminoglycosides (lethal)
Tetracyclines (non-lethal)
DNA
Fluoroquinolones - Inhibit DNA gyrase, enzyme required for reproduction (Inhibition of Nucleic Acid Synthesis)
- Inhibits DNA/RNA synthesis which affects transcription and replication of the bacteria.
Cell Wall
Penicillin, cephalosporin, vancomycin
- Inhibit formation of cell wall (inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis)
- Drugs produce defective cell wall which destroys microorganism.
- Fluid is drawn into cell until cell bursts.
- Immune system cleans debris and fights remaining infection.
- Works best when cell is replicating
Cell Membrane
- Inhibition of viral replication and disruption of cell wall permeability
- Inhibition of viral replication prevents virus entry into host cell
- Polymyxins disrupt cell wall permeability by binding to lipopolysaccharides.
Folic Acid
Sulfonamides block synthesis of components necessary for cell metabolism and growth
(Inhibition of metabolic pathways (Antimetabolites))
- Inhibition of folic acid and synthesis, which is essential for survival of pathogen.
- Human cells don’t need this because they get folic acid through dietary resources
Bacteriostatic Drugs
INHIBITS BACTERIA
- Reversible if drug is removed unless host mechanisms have eradicated the organism
- Sulfonamides, erythromycin, tetracyclines
Bactericidal Drugs
Antibiotics that kill bacteria
- Less dependence on bodies defense mechanisms.
- Penicillin, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides.
Selective Toxicity
- Ability to suppress/kill infecting microbe without injury to host.
- Achievable because cellular chemistry of mammals and microbes differ
- Disruption of cell walls, inhibition of enzymes unique to bacteria, disruption of bacterial protein synthesis.
Antimicrobial Resistance
- Pathogens change over time and stop responding to medications
- Infections caused by resistant pathogens require more toxic and expensive medications.
- Microbes acquire resistance through spontaneous mutations / random changes in microbial DNA transferred from 1 bacteria to another.
- Bodies normal flora can contribute to this.
Antimicrobial Resistance
- The more antibiotics used, the faster drug resistant microbes emerge.
- They grow and multiply while normal flora are suppressed by antimicrobials
- They emerge during or after broad spectrum therapy that suppress normal flora
- Interruption/inadequate use of antimicrobial treatment also promote this.
- Education is important to use antimicrobials exactly as ordered
Antibiotic Resistant Microbes
- Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
- Penicillin-Resistant Streptococcus Pneumoniae
- Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE)
- Multi-drug Resistant Enterococci (MDR-TB)
- Extensively Drug-Resistant TB (XDR-TB)
- Enterococcus Faecalis and Faecium
- Clostridium Difficile (C-Diff)
SuperInfection
- Occurs during or after treatment of earlier infection, especially infection treated with broad spectrum antibiotics.
- Usually caused by drug resistant microbes
- CDIFF, MRSA, Oral/Vaginal Candida Infection
Prevention of Antimicrobial Resistance
- Vaccinations - Prevent infection in the first place
- Remove Catheters (Indwelling such as urinary and IV)
- Target the pathogen (obtain cultures and sensitivities to identify the bacteria and target the specific bacteria)
- Use infectious disease experts to guide treatment
Use antimicrobials wisely
- Practice antimicrobial control
- Use local data
- Treat infection not contamination
(Infection is presence of pathogen, Contamination is unintended infectious material into area) - Treat infection not colonization
(Presence of pathogen without illness or symptoms) - Know when to say no to Vanco
(Vancomycin - attacks gram positive bacteria. Limit use if there is no evidence of gram positive bacteria) - Stop treatment when infection is cured or unlikely to be cured