JMM Profile: Carbapenems: a broad-spectrum antibiotic

Armstrong, Tom; Fenn, Samuel Jacob; Hardie, Kim R.

Abstract

Carbapenems are potent members of the β-lactam family that inhibit bacterial cell-wall biosynthesis inhibitors . They are highly effective against Gram-negative and Gram-positive drug-resistant infections . As such, carbapenems are typically reserved as an antibiotic of last resort. The WHO lists meropenem as an essential medicine. Nausea and vomiting are reported in ≤20% of carbapenem recipients, with 1.5% suffering seizures. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the β-lactam ring is the main driver of clinical resistance. These enzymes can be classified as Class A, B and D. Classes A and D are serine β-lactamases, whereas Class B rely on metal-mediated hydrolysis, typically through zinc.

Citation

Armstrong, T., Fenn, S. J., & Hardie, K. R. (2021). JMM Profile: Carbapenems: a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 70(12), Article 001462. https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001462

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 18, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Dec 10, 2021
• Publication Date: Dec 10, 2021
• Deposit Date: Nov 4, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 10, 2021
• Journal: Journal of Medical Microbiology
• Print ISSN: 0022-2615
• Electronic ISSN: 1473-5644
• Publisher: Microbiology Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 70
• Issue: 12
• Article Number: 001462
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001462
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/6611017
• Publisher URL: https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/jmm.0.001462