Final answer:
Semisynthetic penicillins, cephalosporins, and vancomycin have advantages over penicillin. Semisynthetic penicillins have a wider spectrum of activity, cephalosporins have increased resistance to ß-lactamases and broader activity against gram-negative bacteria, and vancomycin is effective against gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA.
Step-by-step explanation:
The advantages of semisynthetic penicillins, cephalosporins, and vancomycin over penicillin are:
- Semisynthetic penicillins: Semisynthetic penicillins have a wider spectrum of activity compared to natural penicillins. They are effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Examples of semisynthetic penicillins include ampicillin and amoxicillin.
- Cephalosporins: Cephalosporins have an increased resistance to enzymatic inactivation by ß-lactamases. They are active against more gram-negative bacteria than penicillin. Cephalosporins also offer greater diversity in chemical alterations, leading to the development of a larger family of semisynthetic cephalosporins with expanded spectra of activity.
- Vancomycin: Vancomycin is effective against gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). It is often used as a last resort antibiotic when other treatments have failed.