6 Questions
What is a major consequence of antibacterial resistance?
Increased risk of transmission to others
Which of the following mechanisms of antifungal action disrupts the fungal cell membrane?
Disruption of fungal cell membrane
What is a strategy to combat antibacterial resistance?
Antibiotic stewardship programs
Which of the following antifungal agents is an example of an echinocandin?
Caspofungin
What is a challenge in antifungal treatment?
Toxicity and side effects of antifungal agents
What is the name of the type of antiviral agent that includes nucleoside analogues?
Nucleoside analogues
Study Notes
Antibacterial Resistance
- Definition: Ability of bacteria to resist the effects of antibacterial agents, making them ineffective against infections
- Causes:
- Overuse and misuse of antibiotics
- Genetic mutation and adaptation of bacteria
- Horizontal gene transfer between bacteria
- Consequences:
- Increased morbidity and mortality
- Longer hospital stays and higher healthcare costs
- Increased risk of transmission to others
- Mechanisms of resistance:
- Enzymatic inactivation of antibiotics
- Alteration of antibiotic target sites
- Reduced permeability of antibiotics into bacterial cells
- Active efflux of antibiotics out of bacterial cells
- Strategies to combat resistance:
- Antibiotic stewardship programs
- Development of new antibiotics
- Combination therapy
- Vaccine development
Antifungal Treatment
- Types of antifungal agents:
- Polyenes (e.g. amphotericin B)
- Azoles (e.g. fluconazole)
- Echinocandins (e.g. caspofungin)
- Allylamines (e.g. terbinafine)
- Mechanisms of action:
- Disruption of fungal cell membrane
- Inhibition of fungal cell wall synthesis
- Inhibition of fungal DNA synthesis
- Indications:
- Invasive fungal infections (e.g. candidemia, aspergillosis)
- Fungal meningitis
- Skin and nail infections
- Challenges:
- Limited number of antifungal agents
- Toxicity and side effects
- Development of resistance
Antiviral Therapy
- Types of antiviral agents:
- Nucleoside analogues (e.g. oseltamivir)
- Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (e.g. nevirapine)
- Protease inhibitors (e.g. ritonavir)
- Integrase inhibitors (e.g. raltegravir)
- Mechanisms of action:
- Inhibition of viral replication
- Inhibition of viral entry into host cells
- Inhibition of viral release from host cells
- Indications:
- HIV infection
- Influenza
- Hepatitis B and C
- Herpes simplex and zoster
- Challenges:
- Development of resistance
- Toxicity and side effects
- Limited availability and access to antiviral therapy in resource-limited settings
Test your knowledge of microbiology and infectious diseases, including antibacterial resistance, antifungal treatment, and antiviral therapy. Learn about the causes, mechanisms, and consequences of microbial resistance, as well as strategies for combating it.
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