Cytogenix (fka CYGX)

[thalio]

from the same primer - highlight on resistance

Is there an antibiotic that I can use to treat all Gram negative infections?

Many Gram negative bacteria are intrinsically resistant to penicillin. While the aminopenicillins were developed as an answer to E.coli infection, increasing levels of acquired resistance make antibiotics like ampicillin andamoxycillin unsuitable for use in the early treatment of infections where antibiotic sensitivities are as yet unknown.

The same has happened to most of the antibiotics developed to overcome an increasingly complex repertoire of acquired Gram negative antibiotic resistance.

There are some intravenous antibiotics that can be used to treat almost any Gram negative bacterial infection, but fears that bacteria will eventually learn new resistance strategies make us cautious about squandering a valuable therapeutic resource.

We try to learn how to use a small range of antibiotics efficiently and effectively in order to minimise further selection of antibiotic resistance.

Is there a vaccine I can use against Gram negative infection?

Unfortunately the anti-LPS [lipopolysaccharide--see my earlier post re: endotoxins--Th] vaccine HA-1A (Centoxin) had a disappointing effect in severe Gram negative septicaemia [sepsis.]

The most toxic portion of LPS (lipid A) is the least immunogenic. The converse also applies, but the O saccharide sidechain also varies considerably within species (>2000 serotypes in Salmonella) making vaccine development unrealistic.[emphasis mine--Th]