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Resistance mechanisms of gram-positive bacteria.
Journal article

Resistance mechanisms of gram-positive bacteria.

  • Berger-Bächi B Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zürich, Switzerland. bberger@immv.unizh.ch
  • 2002-07-26
Published in:
  • International journal of medical microbiology : IJMM. - 2002
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Community-Acquired Infections
Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
Glycopeptides
Gram-Positive Bacteria
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections
Humans
Methicillin Resistance
Peptides
Selection, Genetic
Vancomycin Resistance
English The introduction and increasing use of antibiotics for antibacterial therapy has initiated a rapid development and expansion of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms, particularly in human pathogens. Additionally, a shift to an increase in number and severity of Gram-positive infections has been observed the last decades. Common to these pathogens is their tendency to accumulate multiple resistances under antibiotic pressure and selection. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), that have acquired multiresistance to all classes of antibiotics, have become a serious nosocomial problem. Recently, the emergence of the first MRSA with reduced vancomycin susceptibility evoked the specter of a totally resistant S. aureus. Problems with multiresistance expand also to penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae that are partially or totally resistant to multiple antibiotics, and to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus ssp., completely resistant to all commonly used antibiotics. The rapid development of resistance is due to mutational events and/or gene transfer and acquisition of resistance determinants, allowing strains to survive antibiotic treatment.
Language
  • English
Open access status
closed
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/243749
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