Antibacterial drugs - Part 1 (Intro - Inhibitors of Cell Wall Synthesis) Flashcards
Antibiotics definition
Substances produced by micro-organisms to kill other micro-organisms or to protect them from toxins produced by other microorganisms
“Antibiosis”
Life destroys life amongst lower species
What are desirable pharmacologic properties of ideal Antibacterial Drugs
Stability Solubility Diffusability Slow Excretion Large Theraputic index - Selective
In response to a pathogen, a host may respond with what?
Active Immunity
Passive Immunity
Overt Disease
In response to a drug, a host may respond with what?
Allergy
Toxicity
What effects may drugs have on a host?
Selective toxicity
Effects on non-pathogenic flora
Microbes may respond to drugs with what?
Resistance
Secondary products of bacterial destruction
Prophylaxis
Temporarily decreases most likely pathogens below critical level required to cause infection
One-quarter to one-half of antibacterial drug use is for prophylaxis
What might prophylaxis drugs be useful for?
Prevent epidemic meningitis, bacterial endocarditis
Prosthetics - artificial valves, arteries
Transplants
Surgery
Empiric Therapy
Initiation of treatment before etiology of infection is known with agents known to be effective against the most likely pathogen acquired (suspected from source of infection)
Pathogen-directed Therapy
Identify bacterial species, and then treat
Identify via staining with crystal violet (gram stain)
Drug resistance is a determinant of what?
Choice of drug
How much drug
Drug combinations
Gram+ bacteria will stain what color?
Purple
Gram- bacteria will stain what color
Pink
How does the cell wall of a gram+ bacteria compare to gram-
Gram+ = Thick Peptidoglycan layer (50-100 cells thick) outside the plasma membrane
Gram- = Thin Peptidoglycan layer (1-2 cells thick), then wide Periplasmic space, then the plasma membrane
What can be used to determine Antibiotic sensitivity
Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)
Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)
Disk diffusion Assays and E-test
Minimum inhibitory concentration
Lowest concentration of drug which completely inhibits growth at 24 hrs
What are we able to do once we know the antibiotic sensitivity profile?
Select effective drugs with the narrowest spectrum of activity in order to avoid emergence of resistant micro-organisms
Why is it important to know the location of an infection?
Many agents don’t cross the blood brain barrier
Pharmacokinetics
Route and time course of…
- Absorption
- Metabolism
- Excretion
- Toxicity
Emergence of different resistant strains in different locales is depndent on what?
Clinical use and/or natural selection
What are some host factors to keep in mind when selecting a drug?
Age Allergy history Food/hydration effects on pharmacokinetics, absorption, solubility, and renal function Hepatic funciton Pharmacogenetics Pregnancy status Immune status
Antibiotic combinations are helpful for what?
Empiric Therapy
Mixed Infections
Synergism
Antagonism
What are the different mechanisms of action of antibacterial drugs?
Inhibition of Nucleic Acid Synthesis DNA Damaging Agents Inhibition of Cell wall synthesis Damage of Cell Membranes Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis