JMM Profile: Carbapenems: a broad-spectrum antibiotic: This article is part of the JMM Profiles collection.

Tom Armstrong; Samuel Jacob Fenn; Kim R. Hardie

doi:10.1099/jmm.0.001462

Volume 70, Issue 12

Review Article

Open Access

JMM Profile: Carbapenems: a broad-spectrum antibiotic

This article is part of the JMM Profiles collection.

Tom Armstrong¹, Samuel Jacob Fenn², Kim R. Hardie²
View Affiliations Hide Affiliations

Affiliations: ¹ School of Chemistry, Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham University, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK ² School of Life Sciences and National Biofilm Innovation Centre, Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham University, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
*Correspondence: Kim R. Hardie, [email protected]
Published: 10 December 2021 https://doi.org/10.1099/jmm.0.001462

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.

Received: 06/05/2021
Accepted: 13/10/2021
Published Online: 10/12/2021

Keyword(s): antimicrobial resistance , last resort and β-lactams

Funding

This study was supported by the:

Wellcome Trust (Award 108876/Z/15/Z)
- Principle Award Recipient: SamuelJacob Fenn
Wellcome Trust (Award 108876/Z/15/Z)
- Principle Award Recipient: TomArmstrong

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. This article was made open access via a Publish and Read agreement between the Microbiology Society and the corresponding author’s institution.

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JMM Profile: Carbapenems: a broad-spectrum antibiotic

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Volume 70, Issue 12

Review Article

Open Access

JMM Profile: Carbapenems: a broad-spectrum antibiotic

This article is part of the JMM Profiles collection.

Abstract

Funding

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