antibiotics Flashcards
define pathogenic bacteria
They are bacteria that cause disease
Define antibiotics
They are chemicals produced by micro-organisms that stop the growth of, or kill, other micro-organisms without damaging human tissue.
What are antibiotics used to control and treat?
They are used to control bacterial infection and can treat some fungal diseases.
What do antibiotics not affect?
They do not affect viruses
How are antibiotics produced today?
They are produced by genetically engineered bacteria.
How do antibiotic resistant bacteria develop?
They develop by mutation
What are antibiotic-resistant bacteria not affected by?
They are not affected by the antibiotic that is being used
What happens when an antibiotic-resistant bacterium enters a person’s body?
If one antibiotic-resistant bacterium arises by mutation or enters that person’s body, then this resistant bacterium has no competitors.
Where is the gene for antibiotic-resistance usually located?
On a plasmid.
What can bacteria pass copies of on to other bacteria?
They can pass copies of their plasmid onto other bacteria. In this way, antibiotic resistance can pass from one bacterium to another.
What happens after an antibiotic-resistant bacterium enters a person’s body?
It reproduces very fast and takes over a person’s body. The person develops an infection and the antibiotic is not ann effective treatment.
What are bacteria that are resistant to almost all known antibiotics known as? Give examples of such bacteria.
They are said to be multi-resistant, i.e. examples of such superbugs are MRSA and C.difficile.
What does the overuse of antibiotics result in?
Increased growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
What causes the Increased growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria?
Doctors that prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily
What allows bacteria to survive and re-grow? How does this lead to the increased risk of the growth of resistant bacteria?
The failure of patients to complete their treatment of antibiotics allows the bacteria to survive and re-grow. This leads o the need for more antibiotics with the increased risk of the growth of resistant bacteria.
