Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria
14:04

Biosensor for Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Staphylococcus Bacteria

Published on: May 8, 2013

New antimicrobial agents for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Marin H Kollef1

  • 1Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MI, USA. mkollef@im.wustl.edu

Critical Care and Resuscitation : Journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine
|December 17, 2009
PubMed

Insights

New antibacterial agents are in late-stage development to combat challenging infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These novel drugs offer potential solutions for intensive care unit (ICU) patients facing rising antibiotic resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Pharmacology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Optimal treatment of bacterial and fungal infections requires timely antimicrobial coverage.
  • Antibiotic resistance expansion complicates antimicrobial regimen selection in intensive care units (ICUs).
  • Multidrug regimens are often necessary to cover prevalent ICU pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review novel antibacterial agents in late-stage clinical development.
  • To highlight agents with potential for treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections.

Main Methods:

  • Review of late-stage clinical development antibacterial agents.
  • Focus on agents targeting MRSA.

Main Results:

  • Several novel antibacterial agents show promise for treating MRSA infections.
  • These include fifth-generation cephalosporins (ceftaroline, ceftobiprole), glycopeptides (dalbavancin, oritavancin, telavancin), and iclaprim.

Conclusions:

  • Novel antibacterial agents are emerging as potential treatments for MRSA infections.
  • These developments are crucial for addressing challenges posed by antibiotic resistance in ICUs.

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Antimicrobial Effectiveness01:28

Antimicrobial Effectiveness

The effectiveness of antimicrobial agents depends on various factors influencing their ability to eliminate microbial populations. Larger microbial populations require more time for complete eradication, emphasizing the importance of population size analysis when evaluating antimicrobial efficacy.Microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents varies significantly. Highly resilient microorganisms include endospores, gram-negative bacteria, and non-enveloped viruses, while prions are exceptionally...
Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
Antimicrobial Proteins01:23

Antimicrobial Proteins

Antimicrobial proteins are important components of the immune system. They aid the body in combating pathogens by either killing them directly or hindering their replication processes. Four main types of antimicrobial substances are interferons, the complement system, iron-binding proteins, and antimicrobial proteins.
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis01:23

Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis

Bacterial cell walls are typically rigid structures composed mainly of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that provides mechanical strength and maintains cell shape. The synthesis of peptidoglycan is a crucial process in bacterial growth and serves as a primary target for many antibiotics.Mechanism of Action of Beta-Lactam AntibioticsBeta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis in actively growing cells. These antibiotics share a characteristic four-membered...