Treatment of Infectious Diseases

Grouped into categories based on their modes of action: Penicillins/cephalosporins interfere with layer of the cell wall Chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, erythromycins- may be toxic when used in high doses of prolonged periods of time Rifampin-used for treatment of TB Bacterial Treatments

Viral Infections Inhibitors Highly toxic to host cells because viruses use the host’s metabolic enzymes in reproduction Antiviral drugs target virus-specific enzymes Acyclovir-used in treatment of genital herpes Amantadine-used to shorten episodes of influenza AZT-inhibit replication of HIV genome Viral Infections Inhibitors

Fungus, Protozoa, Helminth Treatment Highly toxic to mammals Azole derivatives inhibit sterol syntheses Amphotericin B- disrupts cell membrane- makes it leak-cell dies Fungus, Protozoa, Helminth Treatment

Antimicrobial Resistance Presents ongoing problems in the fight against infectious diseases Most likely from indiscriminate use of antibiotics Drug resistance has been an ongoing problem for about 60 years Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial Resistance Penicillin resistance noted as early as 1943 Mycobacterium tuberculosis-some strains resistant to all drugs Resistance to antibiotics-result of changes in genetic information Initially as mutations to existing genes Many bacteria acquire these genes Resistant genes are transferred to other members of same species Antimicrobial Resistance