Name a drug class effective against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

Name a drug class effective against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

• A. Linezolid
• B. Penicillin
• C. Ciprofloxacin
• D. Clavulanate

Answer: (A)

VRE infections require an antibiotic that remains active against enterococci even when vancomycin binding is disrupted. Linezolid, which is in the oxazolidinone class, works differently from vancomycin by binding the 50S ribosomal subunit and blocking the initiation of protein synthesis. This mechanism does not depend on the cell-wall target that vancomycin targets, so oxazolidinones can effectively treat vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus. Other choices don’t fit as well because they rely on targets that VRE often resists. Penicillin alone is not reliably active against VRE, as Enterococcus species commonly resist many beta-lactams. Ciprofloxacin typically has poor activity againstEnterococcus and is not effective for VRE. Clavulanate is a beta-lactamase inhibitor, not an antibiotic, and it does not overcome vancomycin resistance. So the oxazolidinone class is the best option among these for treating VRE.

VRE infections require an antibiotic that remains active against enterococci even when vancomycin binding is disrupted. Linezolid, which is in the oxazolidinone class, works differently from vancomycin by binding the 50S ribosomal subunit and blocking the initiation of protein synthesis. This mechanism does not depend on the cell-wall target that vancomycin targets, so oxazolidinones can effectively treat vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus.

Other choices don’t fit as well because they rely on targets that VRE often resists. Penicillin alone is not reliably active against VRE, as Enterococcus species commonly resist many beta-lactams. Ciprofloxacin typically has poor activity againstEnterococcus and is not effective for VRE. Clavulanate is a beta-lactamase inhibitor, not an antibiotic, and it does not overcome vancomycin resistance.

So the oxazolidinone class is the best option among these for treating VRE.