Fænotypers bakterielle resistens overfor gentamicin er hovedsagligt baseret på tre mekanismer: enzymatisk modifikation af aminoglucosider, hæmning af de aktive substanser og ændring af aminoglycoside- målet.
The bacterial resistance phenotypes to gentamicin are mainly based on three mechanisms: enzymatic modification of aminoglucosides, failure of intracellular penetration of the active substance and alteration of the aminoglycoside target.