Biomaterial Database

Microbial development of drug resistance: mechanisms and clinical significance. 1975

R M Lawrence, and P D Hoeprich

Bacteria have demonstrated a disconcerting ability to develop resistance to antimicrobial agents nearly as quickly as new compounds become available. During the past two decades the molecular bases of several types of resistance have been elucidated. Mechanisms of resistance include the transference of genetic material either through conjugation (involving direct contact between microorganisms), or indirectly through transduction (involving bacteriophages). In addition to this "infectious" drug resistance, genetic mutations which permit the utilization of new metabolic pathways, and the production of enzymes which can inactivate the antimicrobic have been described. One particularly complex problem has been the ability of many Enterobacteriaceae to develop resistance to multiple antimicrobials simultaneously. The possible effect of such an occurrence is illustrated by the recent epidemic of multiply resistant Salmonella typhi in Mexico. Because the typhoid bacilli shared an identical resistance pattern to an epidemic Shigella dysenteriae type 1 the in vivo interspecies transmission of resistance has been postulated. Understanding the various mechanisms of resistance development should allow more rational use of antimicrobial agents.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007239	Infections	Invasion of the host organism by microorganisms or their toxins or by parasites that can cause pathological conditions or diseases.	Infection,Infection and Infestation,Infections and Infestations,Infestation and Infection,Infestations and Infections
D008967	Molecular Biology	A discipline concerned with studying biological phenomena in terms of the chemical and physical interactions of molecules.	Biochemical Genetics,Biology, Molecular,Genetics, Biochemical,Genetics, Molecular,Molecular Genetics,Biochemical Genetic,Genetic, Biochemical,Genetic, Molecular,Molecular Genetic
D009344	Neisseria gonorrhoeae	A species of gram-negative, aerobic bacteria primarily found in purulent venereal discharges. It is the causative agent of GONORRHEA.	Diplococcus gonorrhoeae,Gonococcus,Gonococcus neisseri,Merismopedia gonorrhoeae,Micrococcus der gonorrhoe,Micrococcus gonococcus,Micrococcus gonorrhoeae
D009345	Neisseria meningitidis	A species of gram-negative, aerobic BACTERIA. It is a commensal and pathogen only of humans, and can be carried asymptomatically in the NASOPHARYNX. When found in cerebrospinal fluid it is the causative agent of cerebrospinal meningitis (MENINGITIS, MENINGOCOCCAL). It is also found in venereal discharges and blood. There are at least 13 serogroups based on antigenic differences in the capsular polysaccharides; the ones causing most meningitis infections being A, B, C, Y, and W-135. Each serogroup can be further classified by serotype, serosubtype, and immunotype.	Diplokokkus intracellularis meningitidis,Meningococcus,Micrococcus intracellularis,Micrococcus meningitidis,Micrococcus meningitidis cerebrospinalis,Neisseria weichselbaumii
D004352	Drug Resistance, Microbial	The ability of microorganisms, especially bacteria, to resist or to become tolerant to chemotherapeutic agents, antimicrobial agents, or antibiotics. This resistance may be acquired through gene mutation or foreign DNA in transmissible plasmids (R FACTORS).	Antibiotic Resistance,Antibiotic Resistance, Microbial,Antimicrobial Resistance, Drug,Antimicrobial Drug Resistance,Antimicrobial Drug Resistances,Antimicrobial Resistances, Drug,Drug Antimicrobial Resistance,Drug Antimicrobial Resistances,Drug Resistances, Microbial,Resistance, Antibiotic,Resistance, Drug Antimicrobial,Resistances, Drug Antimicrobial
D005827	Genetics, Microbial	A subdiscipline of genetics which deals with the genetic mechanisms and processes of microorganisms.	Microbial Genetics,Genetic, Microbial,Microbial Genetic
D006193	Haemophilus influenzae	A species of HAEMOPHILUS found on the mucous membranes of humans and a variety of animals. The species is further divided into biotypes I through VIII.	Bacterium influenzae,Coccobacillus pfeifferi,Haemophilus meningitidis,Hemophilus influenzae,Influenza-bacillus,Mycobacterium influenzae
D000900	Anti-Bacterial Agents	Substances that inhibit the growth or reproduction of BACTERIA.	Anti-Bacterial Agent,Anti-Bacterial Compound,Anti-Mycobacterial Agent,Antibacterial Agent,Antibiotics,Antimycobacterial Agent,Bacteriocidal Agent,Bacteriocide,Anti-Bacterial Compounds,Anti-Mycobacterial Agents,Antibacterial Agents,Antibiotic,Antimycobacterial Agents,Bacteriocidal Agents,Bacteriocides,Agent, Anti-Bacterial,Agent, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agent, Antibacterial,Agent, Antimycobacterial,Agent, Bacteriocidal,Agents, Anti-Bacterial,Agents, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agents, Antibacterial,Agents, Antimycobacterial,Agents, Bacteriocidal,Anti Bacterial Agent,Anti Bacterial Agents,Anti Bacterial Compound,Anti Bacterial Compounds,Anti Mycobacterial Agent,Anti Mycobacterial Agents,Compound, Anti-Bacterial,Compounds, Anti-Bacterial
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D013210	Staphylococcus	A genus of gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, coccoid bacteria. Its organisms occur singly, in pairs, and in tetrads and characteristically divide in more than one plane to form irregular clusters. Natural populations of Staphylococcus are found on the skin and mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals. Some species are opportunistic pathogens of humans and animals.