drug resistant bacteria
Since antibiotics, such as penicillin, became widely available in the 1940s, they have been called miracle drugs. They have been able to eliminate bacteria without significantly harming the other cells of the host. Now with each passing year, bacteria that are immune to antibiotics have become more and more common. This turn of events presents us with an alarming problem. Strains of bacteria that are resistant to all prescribed antibiotics are beginning to appear. As a result, diseases such as tuberculosis and penicillin-resistant gonorrhea are reemerging on a worldwide scale (1). Resistance first appears in a population of bacteria through conditions that favor its selection. When an antibiotic attacks a group of bacteria, cells that are highly susceptible to the medicine will die. On the other hand, cells that have some resistance from the start or acquire it later may survive. At the same time, when antibiotics attack disease-causing bacteria, they also attack benign bacter!ia. This process eliminates drug-susceptible bacteria and favors bacteria that are resistant. Two things happen, populations of non-resistant and harmless bacteria are diminished, and because of the reduction of competition from these harmless and/or susce
References 1) Lewis, Ricki, "The Rise of Antibiotic-Resistant Infections". Food and Drug Administration Publication. http://ww.fda.gov/fdac/features/795_antibio.html September, 1995. 2) Levy, S., Bittner, M., and Salyers, A. "Ask the Experts". Scientific American: http://www.sciam.com/askexpert/medicine/medice15.html. 3) Levy, Stuart B. "The Challenge of Antibiotic Resistance". Scientific American: http://www.sciam.com/1998/0398issue/0398levy.html. 4) Zajicek, Gershom. "The Antibiotic Paradox: How Miracle Drugs Are Destroying the Miracle". Plenum Press, N.Y. 1992. specialized transpons called integrons, which act like flypaper when catching new genes (3). These mutations, no matter what process that has led to their occurrence, block the action of antibiotics by interfering with their mechanism of action (1). Currently, antibiotics attack bacteria through one of two mechanisms. In both mechanisms the antibiotic enters the microbe and interferes with production of the components needed to form new bacterial cells. Some antibiotics act on the cell membrane, causing increased permeability and leakage of cell contents. Other antibiotics interfere with protein synthesis in cells. They block one or more of the steps involved in the transformation of nucleic acids into proteins. Any mutation that would prevent the action of antibiotics, but not at the same time provide a selective advantage to the bacteria, would be one that interfered with the bacteria's ability to reproduce. If this were to occur, then any selective advantage would be negate! st be some people who will follow a prescribed drug regimen. If the criteria for physicians is that denying the few will benefit the many, there is some justification for this course of action as a societal prerogative. Many of the same drugs prescribed for human therapy are widely used in animal husbandry and agriculture. More than 40% of the antibiotics manufactured in the U.S. are given to animals (3). Although some of that amount is used to treat or prevent infection, most is mixed with feed to promote weight gain and growth. In this use, amounts of antibiotics too small to combat infections are delivered over long periods of time. Long-term exposure to low doses of antibiotics is the perfect formula for selecting bacteria for drug resistance. The animals then pass these resistant microbes to caretakers and people who prepare and consume undercooked meat. On the other hand, if the use of antibiotics in animal feed were curtailed then the cost of meat would inevitably rise.! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ d by the cell'
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Approximate Word count = 1769
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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