Definitions for bacitracinˌbæs ɪˈtreɪ sɪn
This page provides all possible meanings and translations of the word bacitracin
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
bac•i•tra•cinˌbæs ɪˈtreɪ sɪn(n.)
an antibiotic polypeptide derived by the hydrolytic action of Bacillus subtilis on protein.
Origin of bacitracin:
1940–45; baci (llus ) + (Margaret) Trac(y) (b. 1936), American child whose tissues were found to contain Bacillus subtilis+ -in1
a polypeptide antibiotic of known chemical structure effective against several types of Gram-positive organisms; usually applied locally
A nonprescription antibiotic, usually provided in topical ointment form and discovered as a product of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis.
Bacitracin is a mixture of related cyclic polypeptides produced by organisms of the licheniformis group of Bacillus subtilis var Tracy, isolation of which was first reported in 1945. These peptides disrupt both gram positive and gram negative bacteria by interfering with cell wall and peptidoglycan synthesis. Bacitracin is used as a topical preparation. Despite frequent topical use, there is little evidence that bacitracin is more effective than simple petroleum jelly for minor wounds. Moreover, bacitracin frequently causes contact dermatitis and was even named the 2003 Allergen of the Year due to this common side-effect. The widespread use of bacitracin, even for minor wounds where it is not useful, contributes to antibiotic resistance. This widespread use has contributed to the emergence of MRSA bacteria, specifically the highly lethal ST8:USA300 strain.
U.S. National Library of Medicine
A complex of cyclic peptide antibiotics produced by the Tracy-I strain of Bacillus subtilis. The commercial preparation is a mixture of at least nine bacitracins with bacitracin A as the major constituent. It is used topically to treat open infections such as infected eczema and infected dermal ulcers. (From Goodman and Gilman, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1140)
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