Tag Archives: Betalactam
Q2 Understanding antibiotic resistance and Staphylococcus aureus
Q2 in our JMO pre-test asked: “What is the main mechanism by which the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus becomes resistant to penicillin?” We gave alternatives enumerating basic mechanisms that micro-organisms use (often in combination) to become resistant to an antimicrobial agent (graphic below). Production of penicillinase (i.e. inactivation by a type of beta-lactamase) was the correct answer– more […]
Penicillin ‘allergy’ and safety of third generation cephalosporins (ceftriaxone)
A frequent issue is deciding whether a patient with a “penicillin allergy” can safely be given a cephalosporin antibiotic – what is the real risk of cross reaction and is it much less for third generation agents such as ceftriaxone? A recent publication in Prescriber Update from Medsafe New Zealand succinctly analyses cross-reactivity amongst beta-lactam antibiotics in the light […]
Tell me about your ‘Penicillin Allergy’ ….
Guest posting: Dr Kathryn Patchett, Staff Specialist (Immunology), Pathology North. A dilemma Penicillin allergy* is the most commonly reported drug allergy with up to 10% of patients reporting some kind of allergy [1-4]. Penicillin allergy is also among the leading cause of drug induced anaphylaxis, including fatalities (although fortunately the later are comparatively rare). Such […]
AIMED - Let's talk about antibiotics 