An 80-year-old client is being treated for chronic urinary tract infections with multiple antibiotics in the past 6 months. The healthcare provider orders a urine culture. The results of the urine culture reveals Staphylococcus aureus 100,000 colonies and demonstrated resistance to sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, penicillin, methicillin, and erythromycin. The client is diagnosed with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) on the basis of the findings of her urine test. The nurse would predict this is the result of which microbial action?

Question

An 80-year-old client is being treated for chronic urinary tract infections with multiple antibiotics in the past 6 months. The healthcare provider orders a urine culture. The results of the urine culture reveals Staphylococcus aureus >100,000 colonies and demonstrated resistance to sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, penicillin, methicillin, and erythromycin. The client is diagnosed with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) on the basis of the findings of her urine test. The nurse would predict this is the result of which microbial action?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is adaptation. The development of resistance to multiple antibiotics by Staphylococcus aureus, resulting in methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is a clear example of microbial adaptation. This process involves genetic changes that allow the bacteria to survive in the presence of antibiotics that would normally kill them or inhibit their growth.

An 80-Year-Old Client Is Being Treated for Chronic Urinary Tract