In this article. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It's tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus -- or staph -- because it's resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.n this article. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It's tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus -- or staph -- because it's resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.
Although enterococci have been known to be intrinsically resistant to cephalosporins for decades, the mechanism of cephalosporin resistance remains incompletely understood. Three determinants for cephalosporin resistance in E. faecalis have been described.
Cephalosporins disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls, which causes the walls to break down and eventually the bacteria die. Peptidoglycan is a heteropolymeric component of the cell wall that provides rigid mechanical stability.