Which of the following organisms, when isolated in the blood, requires the synergistic activity of penicillin and an aminoglycoside for appropriate therapy
Enterococci are present in the intestine, genital tract and saliva. They are frequently isolated from cases of urinary tract infection and wound infection. Also causes endocarditis, infection of the biliary tract, septicemia and intra-abdominal abscess complicating diveiculitis and peritonitis. Strains resistant to Penicillin and other antibiotics occur frequently, so it is essential to perform antibiotic sensitivity for proper therapy. Enterococci are intrinsically resistant to cephalosporins and offer low-level resistance to aminoglycosides. In penicillin-sensitive strains, synergism occurs with combination treatment with Penicillin and aminoglycosides. If strains showed high-level resistance to aminoglycosides, this synergism does not occur. The drug of choice in such cases is vancomycin. Recently vancomycin-resistant Enterococci have begun to emerge. The phenotypes are Van A, B, C, D and E. The mechanism is an alteration of D-alanyl-D-alanine chain in the cell wall. Reference: Textbook of Microbiology; Anathanarayan and paniker's; 10th edition; Page no: 219,220
Enterococcus faecalis
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus Pneumoniae
Bacteroides fragilis
Bacteriology