Lesson 3 - The evolutionary race between pathogens and medicines Flashcards
meaning resistant bacterium
bacterium that is not affected by an antibiotics
how did some pathogens become resistant to penicillin
some pathogens carried random mutations, which caused them to become resistant to penicillin, such as containing the enzyme penicillinase. Thus, due to natural selection, the frequency of the resistant pathogens increase, until they are no longer affected by the antibiotics
how do bacteria become resistant to antibiotics
- The original population includes some mutations which resist the antibiotics. So, when the individual takes the antibiotics, the mutations are more likely to survive.
- The more resistant bacteria reproduce and pass on their advantageous allele, so that there’s a greater population of bacteria with the advantageous resistant mutation
- When the same antibiotics is taken in again, only bacteria with the resistant mutation survive.
- The bacteria reproduce so that the new population of bacteria are almost entirely resistant to antibiotics apart from the new mutants
why are there fears that bacteria diseases may cause a lot of death again in the future
because antibiotic resistance is increasing in bacteria, and the number of new antibiotics being developed is falling
state 4 factors which contribute to the problem of the increase in antibiotic resistance of bacteria
- antibiotics are too widely prescribed and used
- People do not complete courses of antibiotics, which makes it easier for resistance to develop
- a lack of hygiene in hospitals and care homes encourages the spread of antibiotic resistant organisms
- in some countries, antibiotics are widely used in the food chain
state 4 solutions which overcome the problems of antibiotic resistance
- reduce of the use of antibiotics
- better education so people understand that they do not always need antibiotics
- reducing use of antibiotics in farm animals
- The development of new antibiotics via DNA sequencing and genetic engineering
