Chapter 26 Resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics

摘要: Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics. The history of glycopeptides represents a perfect example various circumstances that provoke medical and scientific interest in an antibiotic. Because increased isolation Staphylococcus aureus strains resistant against antibiotics, such as erythromycin, tetracycline penicillin early 1950s, large-scale screening program aimed at identification antibiotics with high anti-staphylococcal activity was initiated. Vancomycin soon introduced clinically; however, problems toxicity introduction β-lactamase-resistant penicillins 1960s caused decline use vancomycin. appearance methicillin-resistant staphylococci other, multiply Gram-positive organisms revived especially since improved purification procedures largely reduced emergence enterococci confronts scientists bacterial defence mechanism is unexpected, had been considered be highly improbable.