Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Generating Transposon Insertion Libraries in Gram-Negative Bacteria for High-Throughput Sequencing
08:19

Generating Transposon Insertion Libraries in Gram-Negative Bacteria for High-Throughput Sequencing

Published on: July 7, 2020

Antibiotic resistance among clinically important gram-positive bacteria in the UK

A P Johnson1

  • 1Antibiotic Reference Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, Colindale, London, UK.

The Journal of Hospital Infection
|October 20, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae is rising, posing a significant public health threat. Controlling this requires better surveillance, reduced antibiotic use, and strategies like vaccination.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics, especially first-line treatments, is a growing global concern.
  • Specific rising resistance includes methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), mupirocin-resistant S. aureus, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae, and glycopeptide-resistant enterococci (GRE).
  • The spread of epidemic strains between hospitals contributes to the rise of MRSA and GRE.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance in key bacterial pathogens.
  • To discuss the contributing factors, including inter-hospital spread of resistant strains.
  • To emphasize the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat emerging antibiotic resistance.

Main Methods:

  • This study is a review and analysis of current trends in antibiotic resistance.
  • It synthesizes data on resistance patterns in Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
  • It also considers the emergence of glycopeptide-resistant enterococci in hospital settings.

Main Results:

  • Prevalence of resistance to methicillin and mupirocin in Staphylococcus aureus is increasing in the UK.
  • Resistance to penicillin and macrolides in Streptococcus pneumoniae is also on the rise.
  • There is an observed increase in hospital-acquired infections with glycopeptide-resistant enterococci.

Conclusions:

  • Emerging resistance to new antibiotics like quinolones and streptogramins is anticipated.
  • A multi-faceted approach is essential for controlling Gram-positive bacterial resistance.
  • Key strategies include enhanced surveillance, judicious antibiotic use, and vaccination programs.

More Related Videos

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes08:58

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes

Published on: March 3, 2023

Gastric Mucosa Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis for Detecting Helicobacter pylori and Antibiotic Resistance05:23

Gastric Mucosa Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis for Detecting Helicobacter pylori and Antibiotic Resistance

Published on: March 7, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

Overview
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics01:21

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...
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...
Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis01:28

Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis

Bacterial pathogens depend on precise and efficient DNA replication to sustain infection. Two type II topoisomerases—DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV—are critical to this process, as they resolve DNA supercoiling and unlink chromosomes during replication. Fluoroquinolones, synthetic derivatives of quinolones, exploit this mechanism by stabilizing the transient DNA–enzyme cleavage complex, preventing strand religation, and causing lethal double-strand breaks. These antibiotics are selectively...
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...