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Full-Text Articles in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology
Determining The Presence Of Carbapenem Antibiotic Resistance In Clinical Isolates, Fidelis Uzoma Enyinnaya
Determining The Presence Of Carbapenem Antibiotic Resistance In Clinical Isolates, Fidelis Uzoma Enyinnaya
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Carbapenems are β-lactam antibiotics reserved for the treatment of severe microbial infections, especially those targeting the Enterobacteriaceae. Introduced in the 1980s, carbapenems have been used successfully in hospitals, and in the 1990s resistance was discovered. Carbapenem resistance is conferred through the production of carbapenemases. In the U.S., the most common carbapenemase is Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC). In 2012, the National Healthcare Safety Network reported a carbapenem resistance rate of 13.0% among Klebsiella pneumoniae infections, and indicated that the mortality rate associated with carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections ranged from 48.0-71.9%. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), carbapenem resistance …
Anti-Germinants As A New Strategy To Prevent Clostridium Difficile Infections, Amber Janece Howerton
Anti-Germinants As A New Strategy To Prevent Clostridium Difficile Infections, Amber Janece Howerton
UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
Clostridium difficileinfections (CDI) have emerged as a leading cause of hospital-associated complications. CDI is the major cause of antibiotic-related cases of diarrhea and nearly all cases of pseudomembranous colitis. The infective form of C. difficileis the spore, a dormant and hardy structure that forms under stress. Germination of C. difficile spores into toxin producing bacteria in the GI tract of susceptible patients is the first step in CDI establishment. Patient susceptibility occurs with a disruption of the natural gut microbiota by broad-spectrum antibiotics. Antibiotic treatments usually resolve CDI but refractory cases are on the rise. Of great concern is the …