6.4.3 Combating Antibiotic Resistance

• Bacteria produce enzymes like β-lactamase to break down β-lactam antibiotics like penicillin
• Efflux pumps reduce intracellular antibiotic concentration by transporting them out of bacterial cells.
• Mutations in DNA gyrase can prevent quinolones from inhibiting DNA replication
• Resistance to sulfonamides can occur when bacteria use external sources of folic acid instead of synthesizing it themselves.
• Match the antibiotic resistance mechanism with its description:

  Degradation ↔️ Bacteria produce enzymes that break down antibiotics

  Efflux ↔️ Efflux pumps transport antibiotics out of cells

  Target Modification ↔️ Altering target proteins reduces antibiotic binding

  Metabolic Pathways ↔️ Develop new metabolic pathways to bypass targets
• Antibiotic stewardship programs encourage the appropriate use of antibiotics based on established treatment guidelines
• Public awareness campaigns educate the public on the risks of antibiotic overuse and promote preventative strategies
• Public awareness campaigns aim to inform the public about the risks of antibiotic overuse and misuse.
• Chemical synthesis involves designing and synthesizing novel antibiotic molecules from scratch
• Natural product screening involves discovering new antibiotics from natural sources like plants and microbes.
• Target-based strategies focus on developing antibiotics that specifically inhibit essential bacterial enzymes
• Match the research approach with its example:

  Chemical Synthesis ↔️ Oxazolidinones

  Natural Product Screening ↔️ Teixobactin

  Target-Based Strategies ↔️ DNA Gyrase Inhibitors
• Efflux pumps reduce antibiotic concentration in bacterial cells by transporting them out.
• What are the key mechanisms developed by bacteria to evade the effects of antibiotics?

  Antibiotic resistance mechanisms
• Enzymes like β-lactamase break down antibiotics through a process called degradation
• Efflux pumps reduce antibiotic concentration in bacterial cells.
• Match the antibiotic resistance mechanism with its description:

  Degradation ↔️ Enzymes break down antibiotics

  Efflux ↔️ Pumps expel antibiotics

  Target modification ↔️ Alteration of target proteins

  Metabolic pathways ↔️ New pathways bypass targets
• What is the primary goal of antibiotic stewardship programs?

  Reduce antibiotic misuse
• Diagnostic testing helps differentiate between bacterial and viral infections.
• Public awareness campaigns aim to inform the public about the risks of antibiotic misuse
• What are two examples of resistance mechanisms highlighted in public awareness campaigns?

  β-lactamase and efflux pumps
• Order the three current approaches to antibiotic research and development:

  1️⃣ Chemical Synthesis

  2️⃣ Natural Product Screening

  3️⃣ Target-Based Strategies
• Chemical synthesis of new antibiotics often explores diverse chemical structures.
• What equation highlights the driving force behind antibiotic innovation?

  $F =$$ma$
• Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs are designed to optimize the use of antimicrobials
• Hand hygiene is a key strategy to reduce microbial transfer in healthcare settings.
• Isolation protocols involve separating infected patients to prevent pathogen spread
• What is the primary purpose of surveillance of antibiotic resistance?

  Monitor trends and prevalence
• Surveillance of antibiotic resistance informs public health policies and strategies.
• What is the primary goal of public awareness and education campaigns in combating antibiotic resistance?

  Combating antibiotic resistance
• Public awareness campaigns inform the public about the risks of antibiotic overuse
• Public awareness campaigns encourage antibiotic use based on doctor's recommendations.
• What is one preventive measure highlighted in public awareness campaigns?

  Good hygiene
• Public awareness campaigns reduce selective pressures on bacteria, minimizing the development of antibiotic resistance mechanisms
• Strategies to combat antibiotic resistance

  1️⃣ Chemical Synthesis

  2️⃣ Natural Product Screening

  3️⃣ Target-Based Strategies
• What does chemical synthesis involve in the context of new antibiotic development?

  Creating novel molecules
• Natural product screening involves discovering antibiotics from natural sources.
• What do target-based strategies aim to inhibit in bacteria?

  Essential bacterial enzymes
• The ongoing need for innovation in antibiotic research is likened to $F =$$ma$, which represents the driving force for progress
• What is the primary goal of antimicrobial stewardship programs?

  Optimizing antimicrobial use