The nurse is preparing to admit a client with a serious methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. The nurse knows MRSA will not respond to treatment with:

Question

Standard Text: Select all that apply.
1. fluoroquinolones.
2. macrolides.
3. aminoglycosides.
4. tetracyclines.
5. linezolid.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1,2,3,4
Rationale 1: MRSA is resistant to fluoroquinolones.
Rationale 2: MRSA is resistant to macrolides.
Rationale 3: MRSA is resistant to aminoglycosides.
Rationale 4: MRSA is resistant to tetracyclines.
Rationale 5: Linezolid (Zyvox) is a newer antibiotic that is effective against MRSA.
Global Rationale: MRSA is a type of bacterium that is resistant to certain antibiotics such as methicillin, amoxicillin, and penicillin. At least 60% of S. aureus infections are now resistant to penicillin. The term "methicillin resistant" is still used for these infections despite the fact that methicillin was removed from the market many years ago. In recent years, MRSA strains have developed resistance to most classes of antimicrobials, including fluoroquinolones, macrolides, aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and clindamycin.