[beta-Lactam antibiotics--mechanisms of action and resistance in Enterobacteriaceae]

Beta-lactams are considered to be very important drugs used in the therapy of many serious bacterial infections. In the last few years, the number of isolated clinical strains from the Enterobacteriaceae family, mainly Enterobacter and Klebsiella spp. resistant to 3rd generation cephalosporins, rapidly increased. Resistance can be located on chromosomes or be determined by plasmids and transposons. The production of beta-lactamases is the most frequent manifestation of beta-lactam resistance. Spread of such resistance, especially plasmid-encoded, is believed to be a serious risk factor. Therefore the study of the resistance mechanism is Gram-negative bacilli to beta-lactams not only indicates the present situation, but also trends in future medical therapy.