Antibiotics
What is a antibiotic?
Powerful medication used against bacteria
What is a mutation?
A change in a Gene's DNA sequence
What simple everyday action helps prevent the spread of superbugs?
Washing your hands
What happens to bacteria that can’t survive antibiotics?
They are killed
This bacteria is resistant to methicillin?
MRSA
What do antibiotics kill?
Bacteria
How can a mutation make bacteria resistant?
By changing it's DNA
What are two ways people can prevent antibiotic resistance?
Do not over use antibiotics
Handwashing
What does “survival of the fittest” mean in bacteria?
Whatever bacteria is resistant to the antibiotic will mutate and survive
This "nightmare" superbug resists nearly all antibiotics?
CRE
Why don’t antibiotics work on viruses?
Viruses have a different structure than bacteria
Why are mutations random, but natural selection is not?
Mutations are random, natural selection is not
What role does hygiene play in controlling infections?
Preventing the spread of germs
Why do resistant bacteria become more common over time?
The bacteria that survive end up reproducing to create more resistant bacteria
This common urinary tract infection bacteria has become resistant to many antibiotics and spreads easily in hospitals.
E. Coli
What happens if you stop taking antibiotics too early?
The infection/bacteria can return
What is horizontal gene transfer?
The movement of genetic material between organisms in a way that is not through reproduction from parent to offspring.
What is antibiotic stewardship?
A multifaceted approach to optimize the use of antibiotics to prevent unnecessary antibiotic use, reduce antibiotic resistance, and improve patient outcomes
Over time, what happens to a population of bacteria exposed to antibiotics?
It becomes mostly resistant
This bacterium causes tuberculosis and has resistant strains?
MDR-TB
Who discovered the first antibiotic, penicillin?
Alexander Fleming
One random mutation allows a bacterium to survive an antibiotic treatment. What happens to this mutation over time in the bacterial population?
It becomes more common as resistant bacteria survive and reproduce
Name one alternative scientists are studying to replace antibiotics?
Phage therapy, vaccines, or new antimicrobial drugs
Why does stopping antibiotic treatment too soon speed up natural selection for resistant bacteria?
The surviving resistant bacteria face less competition and multiply, spreading their resistance faster
This superbug can cause dangerous gut infections after antibiotic use and is known for recurring illness.
Closetridioides Difficile