Mechanisms of Resistance To -Lactam Antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus

  • Maribel Castellano González Chair of General Bacteriology. School of Bioanalysis. University of Zulia.
  • Armindo Perozo Mena Chair of Professional Practice of Bacteriology. School of Bioanalysis. University of Zulia. Venezuela. Bacteriological Reference Center - Autonomous Service University Hospital of Maracaibo. Venezuela.

Abstract

S. aureus has shown a great power of adaptation to antimicrobial agents, acquiring, step-by step, resistance to all available antibiotics for treatment of the infections it causes. S. aureus has three major mechanisms of resistance to B-lactam antibiotics: enzyme mediated (penicillinase or B-lactamase) by which the antibiotic is inactivated; intrinsic resistance,which is not due to drug inactivation and accounts for methicillin resistance;and modifications of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). Additionally, S. aureus can express the tolerance phenomenon, in which there is a dissociation of the inhibitory and killing actions of â-lactam antibiotics. Of these, the most important mechanism is intrinsic resistance, which is probably more complex because several factors can affect its expression.

Published
2010-08-07
How to Cite
1.
Castellano González M, Perozo Mena A. Mechanisms of Resistance To -Lactam Antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus. Kasmera [Internet]. 2010Aug.7 [cited 2024Nov.26];38(1):18-5. Available from: https://produccioncientificaluz.org/index.php/kasmera/article/view/4853
Section
Narrative Review