Antibiotic resistance mechanisms in the intensive care unit 1A02 2C03 3A13

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is increasingly recognised as a major threat to global health, with few new antimicrobial agents in development. The intensive care unit provides a unique environment for the growth and spread of drug-resistant organisms. Knowledge of the pathogenesis and mechanisms of resistance of drug-resistant organisms provides a conceptual framework which underpins the clinical manifestation of infections caused by these organisms, and is crucial for the intensivist to understand. Particular importance lies in the prevention of infection and the control of drugresistant pathogens. The major resistance mechanisms of these organisms will be highlighted, focusing on specific gram-positive (meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and glycopeptide-resistant Enterococci), gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and multi-drug resistant Enterobacteriaceae) organisms, and then placed in historical and clinical context. © The Intensive Care Society 2012.