Methicillin was first developed in 1959 as an antibiotic against penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. This beta-lactam antibiotic inhibits the synthesis of bacterial cell walls and inhibits cross-linkage between the linear peptidoglycan polymer chains, essentials for the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. This antibiotic is a derivative and modification to the original beta-lactam antibiotic penicillin and is penicillinase-resistant, which is effective against S. aureus bacterium’s enzyme pencillinase. However practice of this antibiotic have stopped due to the existence of MRSA.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a dangerous derivative of Staphylococcus aureus bacterium infecting unsuspected victims and continue to cause recurrent infections or death. According to the CDC an estimated of 10,800 deaths in the U.S. each year are caused by staph bacterium (Klein, Smith, & Laxminarayan, 2010). The CDC reported 72,444 as the overall total national estimates and adjusted incidence rates of invasive MRSA infections in the United States (CDC, 2016). MRSA is resistant to methicillin and other antibiotics within the same class, as well as resistant to beta lactam antibiotic family such as cephalosporins and carbapenems (David HK Lo, 2015). It is due to the production of altered penicillin-binding proteins coded on the mecA gene caused resistance towards methicillin and other similar antibiotic (David HK Lo, 2015). Staph bacterium also has the ability to transfer its survived DNA to other similar bacterium, having the potential to evolve into something dangerous as time progress. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive bacterium possessing several virulence traits that allow this bacterium to be resistant to most antibiotics. This bacterium has a cell wall consisting of peptidoglycans, which contains endotoxins. Some of these endotoxins can stimulate the release of cytokines, which overall would induce inflammatory reactions in the body (Fong, et al., 2004). Staphylococci also produce numerous toxins that damage the host tissues. For example, staph bacterium produces epidemolytic toxins A and B, which cause skin erythema, or red skin rash and skin cell separations. Another trait includes the possession of surface proteins that assist the staphylococci to colonize the host tissues. MRSA also produce enzymes that can damage the tissue. Several examples include proteases (enzymes …show more content…
These strains possess Staphylococcal Chromosomes Cassettes mec (SCCmec), which is a mobile genetic element carrying diverse beta-lactam resistance genes encoded by the mecA gene (Teruyo, 2009). The existence of MRSA is the results of the survival, acquisition, and insertion of the SCCmec into the chromosome of similar bacterial strains. The SCCmec are highly diverse in their genetic organization allowing MRSA to be classified and defined by the combination of SCCmec type and the chromosomal background in which SCCmec resides (Teruyo, 2009). The mec element SCCmec has been identified in multiple Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) genetic backgrounds through MSSA DNA fingerprinting in combination of genetic structure of the particular SCCmec, creating an evolutionary profile (Hiramatsu, 2001; Hiramatsu, 1995; Fitzgerald, 2001; Enright, 2002; Oliveira, 2001). Studies indicated that epidemic MRSA were the result of successful transfer of the mec gene into an ecologically fit and transmission-efficient MSSA clones (Crisostomo, 2001; Enright, 2002).
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a lifelong, hereditary disease common in the populations of Caucasians of Northern European descents. According to the American Lung Association, there is approximately 30,000 Americans with cystic fibrosis and more than 10 million Americans who are symptomless carriers of the recessive cystic fibrosis gene. As a
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a dangerous derivative of Staphylococcus aureus bacterium infecting unsuspected victims and continue to cause recurrent infections or death. According to the CDC an estimated of 10,800 deaths in the U.S. each year are caused by staph bacterium (Klein, Smith, & Laxminarayan, 2010). The CDC reported 72,444 as the overall total national estimates and adjusted incidence rates of invasive MRSA infections in the United States (CDC, 2016). MRSA is resistant to methicillin and other antibiotics within the same class, as well as resistant to beta lactam antibiotic family such as cephalosporins and carbapenems (David HK Lo, 2015). It is due to the production of altered penicillin-binding proteins coded on the mecA gene caused resistance towards methicillin and other similar antibiotic (David HK Lo, 2015). Staph bacterium also has the ability to transfer its survived DNA to other similar bacterium, having the potential to evolve into something dangerous as time progress. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive bacterium possessing several virulence traits that allow this bacterium to be resistant to most antibiotics. This bacterium has a cell wall consisting of peptidoglycans, which contains endotoxins. Some of these endotoxins can stimulate the release of cytokines, which overall would induce inflammatory reactions in the body (Fong, et al., 2004). Staphylococci also produce numerous toxins that damage the host tissues. For example, staph bacterium produces epidemolytic toxins A and B, which cause skin erythema, or red skin rash and skin cell separations. Another trait includes the possession of surface proteins that assist the staphylococci to colonize the host tissues. MRSA also produce enzymes that can damage the tissue. Several examples include proteases (enzymes …show more content…
These strains possess Staphylococcal Chromosomes Cassettes mec (SCCmec), which is a mobile genetic element carrying diverse beta-lactam resistance genes encoded by the mecA gene (Teruyo, 2009). The existence of MRSA is the results of the survival, acquisition, and insertion of the SCCmec into the chromosome of similar bacterial strains. The SCCmec are highly diverse in their genetic organization allowing MRSA to be classified and defined by the combination of SCCmec type and the chromosomal background in which SCCmec resides (Teruyo, 2009). The mec element SCCmec has been identified in multiple Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) genetic backgrounds through MSSA DNA fingerprinting in combination of genetic structure of the particular SCCmec, creating an evolutionary profile (Hiramatsu, 2001; Hiramatsu, 1995; Fitzgerald, 2001; Enright, 2002; Oliveira, 2001). Studies indicated that epidemic MRSA were the result of successful transfer of the mec gene into an ecologically fit and transmission-efficient MSSA clones (Crisostomo, 2001; Enright, 2002).
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a lifelong, hereditary disease common in the populations of Caucasians of Northern European descents. According to the American Lung Association, there is approximately 30,000 Americans with cystic fibrosis and more than 10 million Americans who are symptomless carriers of the recessive cystic fibrosis gene. As a