(Unit 3) Bacteria, Infections, & Antibiotics

Bacteria

Single-celled organisms found on skin, in mouth, and gastrointestinal tract

Pathogenic bacteria

Bacteria that can cause an infection

Bacterial infection

Bacterial growth in body tissues that causes tissue damage

Symptoms of bacterial infections

Fever of >101⁰F AND white blood cell count of >12,000/mm3

Aerobic bacteria

Bacteria that need oxygen to survive

Anaerobic bacteria

Bacteria that can survive in environments free of oxygen

Gram negative bacteria

Bacteria with a thin cell wall that does not absorb Gram Stain, appearing pink

Gram positive bacteria

Bacteria with a thick cell wall that absorbs Gram Stain, appearing purple

Antibiotics

Chemical substances that can kill or inhibit bacterial growth

Bacteriostatic

Antibiotics that inhibit the growth of bacteria

Bactericidal

Antibiotics that kill invading bacteria

Mixing Considerations

Proper mixing of parenteral forms of antibiotics to avoid ineffectiveness or harm

Dosing Considerations

Round-the-clock dosing for consistent antibiotic levels in a patient's system

Food/Drug Interactions

Some antibiotics require empty stomach, can decrease effectiveness of birth control

Sulfonamides & Nitrofurantoin

Antibiotics used to treat UTIs, otitis media, lower respiratory tract infections

Penicillins

First class of antibiotics created to treat bacterial infections

Cephalosporins

Antibiotics with different generations, treat a wide range of conditions

Lincosamides

Antibiotics used to treat acne, dental work, anaerobic pneumonia, bone infections

Macrolides

Antibiotics used to treat STIs, Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus, influenza

Tetracyclines Indications

Broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat acne, Lyme disease, chlamydia

Fluoroquinolones

Antibiotics used to treat bone & joint infections, eye infections, serious UTIs

Antibiotic Resistance

Bacteria's ability to resist or inactivate antibiotics, a growing problem

Overprescribing

One of the reasons for antibiotic resistance, can lead to the development of MRSA

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)

Bacteria resistant to all antistaphylococcal penicillins, very few antibiotics can treat it

Rare side effect of Sulfonamides

Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

Nitrofurantoin

Urine discoloration, sunburn (avoid direct sunlight)

Antibiotic created from mold

Penicillin

Antibiotic that has 5 generations

Cephalosporins

Patients who are allergic to Penicillin

Can also have an allergy to Cephalosporins

Lincosemides

Liver toxicity/ Jaundice can occur

Tetracyclines

Tooth discoloration, avoid taking after expiration (toxicity skyrockets)

Reserved for more serious gram-negative infections

Fluoroquinolones