GLYCOPEPTIDE RESISTANCE Meaning and
Definition
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Glycopeptide resistance refers to the ability of certain bacteria to be unaffected or less susceptible to the action of glycopeptide antibiotics, specifically the commonly used antibiotics vancomycin and teicoplanin. These antibiotics belong to a class known as glycopeptides due to their molecular structure.
In the context of bacterial infections, glycopeptide resistance is a crucial issue as these antibiotics are often the last line of defense when treating serious infections caused by bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). The development and spread of glycopeptide resistance poses a significant challenge in clinical practice, leading to the limited availability of effective treatment options for these resistant strains.
Glycopeptide resistance can arise through different mechanisms, the most common of which is the modification of the bacterial cell wall structure. This modification prevents glycopeptide antibiotics from binding to their target site, which is the cell wall precursor molecule, preventing their bactericidal or bacteriostatic effects.
The emergence of glycopeptide resistance is of great concern in the medical field as it compromises the effectiveness of frontline antibiotics, limiting treatment options and increasing the risk of healthcare-associated infections. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying glycopeptide resistance and developing alternative treatment strategies are essential in combating bacterial infections caused by these resistant strains.
Common Misspellings for GLYCOPEPTIDE RESISTANCE
- flycopeptide resistance
- vlycopeptide resistance
- blycopeptide resistance
- hlycopeptide resistance
- ylycopeptide resistance
- tlycopeptide resistance
- gkycopeptide resistance
- gpycopeptide resistance
- goycopeptide resistance
- gltcopeptide resistance
- glgcopeptide resistance
- glhcopeptide resistance
- glucopeptide resistance
- gl7copeptide resistance
- gl6copeptide resistance
- glyxopeptide resistance
- glyvopeptide resistance
- glyfopeptide resistance
- glydopeptide resistance
- glycipeptide resistance
Etymology of GLYCOPEPTIDE RESISTANCE
The word glycopeptide resistance is derived from combining two main components: glycopeptide and resistance.
1. Glycopeptide: The term glycopeptide is compound of two parts: glyco- and -peptide.
- Glyco- comes from the Greek word glykys, meaning sweet or sugar, referring to the sugar or carbohydrate component of the molecule.
- -Peptide comes from the Greek word peptos, meaning digested or a small portion, representing the protein component of the molecule. In this case, glycopeptides are a class of antibiotics that consist of a peptide (protein) core with a sugar (glycoside) attached.
2. Resistance: The word resistance originates from the Latin word resistere, which means to stand against or to withstand.
