Penicillin kills bacteria
by interfering with the ability to synthesize cell wall. In this
sequence, Escherichia coli were incubated in penicillin
for 30 minutes. The bacteria lengthen, but cannot divide. Eventually
the weak cell wall ruptures (last panel). To learn more about
how penicillin works be sure to check out " What the Heck
is Penicillin" at Jack's "Bugs in the News".
Antibiotic use selects for
populations of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Some bacteria
avoid the effect of penicillin by the production of penicillinase,
an enzyme that destroys penicillin. For more information on how
bacteria such as Staph aureus become resistant to penicillin
and vancomycin see the excellent Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) site "The Rise of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections".
Want
to know more?
Here are some suggested
keywords to focus your search. Copy a keyword or phrase into
the text window and click SEARCH.
- superbug
- methicillin resistant
Staph aureus
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- antibiotic misuse
|
- vancomycin resistant
Enterococcus
- cephalosporin
- penicillinase
- antibiotic resistance
|
|
Return to Last Viewed Page
