A clinician is considering antibiotic therapy for a patient
with a Mycobacterium infection. Vancomycin is highly effective against
many Gram-positive bacteria, but it is generally ineffective against
Mycobacteria, which is Gram-positive.

Which explanation best accounts for the intrinsic resistance
of Mycobacteria to vancomycin?

Question

A clinician is considering antibiotic therapy for a patient
with a  Mycobacterium  infection. Vancomycin is highly effective against
many Gram-positive bacteria, but it is generally ineffective against
Mycobacteria, which is Gram-positive.

Which explanation best accounts for the intrinsic resistance
of Mycobacteria to vancomycin?

Accepted Answer

Vancomycin
cannot gain access to the Mycobacterial peptidoglycan

Answer

They
actively pump vancomycin out of the cytoplasm via efflux mechanisms

Answer

Their
cell walls allow vancomycin to enter but chemically inactivate it

Answer

They
express the  mecA  gene, producing resistant peptidoglycan

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A clinician is considering antibiotic therapy for a patient with a Mycobacteri...

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