Antibiotic Resistance Report

Madison Morgan

Erythromycin

Microbiology

Fall 2020
 Erythromycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Erythromycin is a part of a class of

antibiotics called macrolides which are derived from Saccharopolyspora erythraea, a type of

soil-borne bacteria. Erythromycin was isolated in 1952 and is used to treat various infections

such as pneumonia, skin problems, sexually transmitted diseases, and even dental infections.

The antibiotic inhibits growth of bacteria. It does this by binding to the 50s subunit of the

bacterial rRNA complex, protein syntheses, structure, and function process critical for life or

where the bacteria is replicated. Erythromycin is available in oral form, intravenous form,

topical form, and ophthalmic form. The oral form dosage is available in 250 mg tablets or 500

mg tablets.

BACTERIA AMPICILLIN AMOXICILLIN ERYTHOMYCIN

Micrococcus luteus 23 23 18
Micrococcus roseus 16 16 13
Enteribacter aerogenes 0 0 0
Bacillus cerus 0 0 0
Esherichia coli 9 10 6
Myobacterium smegmatis 0 0 3
Pseduomonas floroscens 0 0 8
Proteus vulgaris 0 0 0
 Sarcina aurantica 20 0 0
Staphloccus epidermis 13 13 9
Serratia marceseens 0 0 0
Citrobacter freuendii 0 0 0

Antibiotic sensitivity
Citrobacter freuendii
Serratia marceseens
Staphloccus epidermis
Sarcina aurantica
Proteus vulgaris
Pseduomonas floroscens
Myobacterium smegmatis
Esherichia coli
Bacillus cerus
Enteribacter aerogenes
Micrococcus roseus
Micrococcus luteus
0 5 10 15 20 25

AMPICILLIN AMOXICILLIN ERYTHOMYCIN

BACTERIA Erythromycin
Micrococcus luteus 18
Micrococcus roseus 13
Enteribacter aerogenes 0
Bacillus cerus 0
Esherichia coli 6
Myobacterium smegmatis 3
Pseduomonas floroscens 8
Proteus vulgaris 0
Sarcina aurantica 0
Staphloccus epidermis 9
Serratia marceseens 0
Citrobacter freuendii 0
 Erythromycin
Citrobacter freuendii
Serratia marceseens
Staphloccus epidermis
Sarcina aurantica
Proteus vulgaris
Pseduomonas floroscens
Myobacterium smegmatis
Esherichia coli
Bacillus cerus
Enteribacter aerogenes
Micrococcus roseus
Micrococcus luteus
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

In comparison to other medications, erythromycin proved to be wider spectrum than

ampicillin and amoxicillin. Ampicillin performed well against Micrococcus luteus, Micrococus

roseus, Esherichia coli, Sarcina aurantica, and Staphloccus epidermis. However, amoxicillin

performed well against several of the same bacteria that ampicillin did. This includes

Micrococcus luteus, Micrococcus roseus, Escherichia coli, and Staphloccus epidermidis. In

general, Erythromycin was comparative to the two by inhibiting the growth of 6 different

bacteria’s rather than 5 or 4.

Upon testing, two samples were presumptively too old for an accurate sample. This

included Sarcina aurantica and Serrata mercescens. Both samples hardly grew on the plate,

making it difficult to collect results. In light of the discovery, it can’t be determined how

erythromycin effected the bacteria.

Erythromycin worked because it just restricts the amount the bacteria can grow instead

of directly destroying it. So, it works well with other bacteria because it is a bacteriostatic

antibiotic. Ampicillin inhibits the cell walls from synthesizing thus causing death. Amoxicillin
actually attaches to the cell wall, causing death. Think of erythromycin like an immune

suppressing drug. It doesn’t kill your immune system, but it stops it from harming you.