...to antibiotics, explain how such adaptations can develop through the process of natural selection. Exam # 25010400 Exam # 25010400 January 17, 2016 kelsey duff January 17, 2016 kelsey duff Natural selection is the process that results in adaptation of a population to the biotic (living) and the abiotic (nonliving) environments. In the biotic environment organisms acquire resources through completion, predation, and parasitism. The abiotic environment includes weather conditions, dependent chiefly on temperatues and precipitation. Directional selection occurs when an extreme phenotype is favored and the distribution curve shifts in that direction. Such a shift can occur when a population is adapting to a changing environment. Resistance to antibiotics and insecticides are examples of directional selection. The widespread use of antibiotics and insecticides (pesticides) results in populations of bacteria and insects that are resistant to these chemicals. When an antibiotic is administered, some bacteria may survive because they are genetically resistant to the antibiotic. These bacteria are most likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. Result, the number of bacteria keeps in increasing. Drug-resistant strains of bacteria that cause tuberculosis have now become a serious threat to the health of people worldwide. Because the genes of bacteria are varied, it is likely that there are some bacteria that carry genes which allow them to survive or resist antibiotics, because...
Words: 333 - Pages: 2
...------------------------------------------------- Many Pathogenic bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics, explain how such adaptations can develop through the process of natural selection. Exam # 25010400 Exam # 25010400 January 17, 2016 kelsey duff January 17, 2016 kelsey duff Natural selection is the process that results in adaptation of a population to the biotic (living) and the abiotic (nonliving) environments. In the biotic environment organisms acquire resources through completion, predation, and parasitism. The abiotic environment includes weather conditions, dependent chiefly on temperatues and precipitation. Directional selection occurs when an extreme phenotype is favored and the distribution curve shifts in that direction. Such a shift can occur when a population is adapting to a changing environment. Resistance to antibiotics and insecticides are examples of directional selection. The widespread use of antibiotics and insecticides (pesticides) results in populations of bacteria and insects that are resistant to these chemicals. When an antibiotic is administered, some bacteria may survive because they are genetically resistant to the antibiotic. These bacteria are most likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. Result, the number of bacteria keeps in increasing. Drug-resistant strains of bacteria that cause tuberculosis have now become a serious threat to the health of people worldwide. Because the genes of bacteria are varied, it...
Words: 333 - Pages: 2
...Antibiotic resistance — what is it and why is it a problem? The development of antibiotics was one of the most important advances of medicine. Many bacterial infections (e.g. tuberculosis and infected wounds) that had previously had no effective treatment and often killed people, became treatable with antibiotics, saving millions of lives. Now, because of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics, bacterial infections that were once easily cured with antibiotics are becoming harder to treat. This is due to antibiotic resistance. The World Health Organization has called this one of the biggest threats to human health today. What is antibiotic resistance? Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria change to protect themselves from an antibiotic. They are then no longer sensitive to that antibiotic. When this happens, antibiotics that previously would have killed the bacteria, or stopped them from multiplying, no longer work. What are ‘superbugs’? ‘Superbugs’ are bacteria that are resistant to several different antibiotics. The methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria commonly found in hospitals, and the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), are now very hard to treat because of antibiotic resistance. Strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) — the bacteria that causes many urinary tract infections — have also developed resistance to a number of antibiotics. How does antibiotic resistance affect me? Using antibiotics when you don’t...
Words: 567 - Pages: 3
...Antibiotic Resistance Essay Many things were learned while completing this study. I learned that education is one of the keys to reducing the amount of antibiotic resistance. Educating parents who insist on getting antibiotics for every sniffle on the danger of over medicating with antibiotics might help. Educating the general public via infomercials might also help them realize the dangers as well? Doctors need to stand their ground and take back the ground they have lost over the years. Realize it is okay to tell a parent in a kind way, “I am the doctor this is what I know is best for your child or for you.” It would be a good thing to cut back on the ability to get prescription drugs without a prescription. It is too easy to get on the computer and purchase drugs from overseas pharmacies. Make the penalty for doing this like the penalty for illegal substances. If enough people are punished they will decrease maybe. Some would have you believe the government does not control this problem as it is a way of population control, and if one is stupid enough to buy drugs without a prescription then the consequences are deserved. Ignorance is not an excuse. Although the conspiracy theorists are out there what is the truth? We may never know but as long as one does what they are supposed to there is no need to worry. It seems the FDA is already aware of the use of antibacterial soaps as a problem and they seem to be already addressing it but not allowing big name...
Words: 344 - Pages: 2
...Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics Names: A. Objectives *Study the effects of various antibiotics on the growth of bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli) *Learn how to culture bacteria in vitro (in the laboratory) *Connect genetics to evolution to the resistance of bacteria to antibiotics B. Materials *Agar dextrose growth medium; bacterial starter colony plate; 18 culture plates with growth medium; disposable sterile inoculating loops; disposable sterile microtainers, disposable sterile pipets; culture fluid, forceps, ampicillin disks, bacitracin disks, novobiacin disk, and tetracycline disks C. Procedure 1) Obtain one culture plate, with growth medium, per group of two. Divide the bottom plate into 3 pie-shapes. Mark which areas will contain which two of the four antibiotics. One area is the control or no antibiotic. 2) Add 0.25 ml of culture fluid to a microtainer 3) Using a sterile inoculating loop, obtain a small colony of bacteria from the starter plate and swirl the loop in the culture fluid to remove bacteria from the loop 4) Transfer the bacteria suspended in fluid to the culture plate and using a clean inoculating loop, gentle spread the bacteria across the agar growth medium. 5) Using forceps, add the antibiotic disk to the appropriate section of the plate. 6) Cover and incubate at 37 degrees Celsius. D. Results: Attached to back. E. Discussion: Antibiotic resistance in bacteria has increased over time because of genetics and...
Words: 376 - Pages: 2
...The Misuse of Antibiotics and Bacterial Resistance Samantha Onda Penn State Worthington Scranton Abstract The growing issue of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is growing more rapidly than anticipated. Numerous factors contribute to this growing issue and it creates a major concern for society today. The main factor in this growing issue is the continuous misuse and overuse of antibiotics. For example, people use them by prescribing antibiotics to themselves, even if they have acquired a viral infection. Furthermore, livestock is pumped full of antibiotics to promote growth and prevent infections. Moreover, bacteria have become smarter and evolved so that they are able to transmit the resistance to other bacteria. This is an important issue in today’s society because if antibiotics are continuously misused, they will no longer be affective. The world will go back to a time period when diseases, even something as simple as the common cold, killed mass numbers of people. From reading this paper, readers will learn that they need to properly educate themselves and others in our society to prevent complete resistance. Keywords: antibiotics, bacteria, resistance, misuse, educate The Misuse of Antibiotics and Bacterial Resistance Antibiotics have been used throughout centuries of medicine. An antibiotic is a medication used to treat infectious diseases. There are many different types of antibiotics, such as penicillin and tetracycline, that work differently to treat infections...
Words: 2623 - Pages: 11
...How does antimicrobial resistance happen? What is the process? Antibiotic resistance happens when an antibiotic has lost its capacity to control successfully or eliminate bacterial development; as it were, the microbes are "safe" and keep on increasing near significant levels of an antibiotic. Some microscopic organisms are normally impervious to specific sorts of antibiotics. Then again, bacteria may also get to be safe in two routes: 1) by a genetic transformation or 2) by procuring resistance from another bacterium. Mutations, once in a while certain changes of the bacteria's genetic material, are contemplated over a million cells. Distinctive genetic changes yield diverse sorts of resistance. A few transformations empower the bacteria to deliver strong chemicals (compounds) that inactivate anti-infection agents while different changes kill the cell focus on that the antibiotic assaults. Still others close up the passage ports that permit antimicrobials into the cell, and others are assembling pumping systems that far the anti-microbial back outside, so it never achieves its objective....
Words: 395 - Pages: 2
...What can we do about Antibiotic-Resistance Bacteria? After completing the assigned activity I learned that there were a few points of evidence that demonstrated the problem of antibiotic resistance. I also found recorded data of methods that have been successful in decreasing the number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and some methods that were not so successful. Since the 1930’s antibiotics have been administered to treat several types of infectious diseases. The unearthing discovery of antibiotics was a phenomenon. Death rates decreased by the thousands and there was hope for the people who would contract pneumonia or tuberculosis. However just like most happy stories there are trials and tribulations. One of the approaches that were unsuccessful was antibiotic rotation on resistance. The method was instead of prescribing of a steady prescription of antibiotics to an individual at a constant, the doctor could rotate the prescription of antibiotics on occasion. So in other words the patient would interchange between antibiotics sporadically. The trial experiment was two separate groups. The control group was prescribed a single antibiotic during a short visit at the hospital and the rotation group was prescribed three different antibiotics on an alternating basis. The idea was a great one, however it was also unsuccessful. The incidence of antibiotic-resistance bacteria was higher in the rotation than in the control group. Another approach that seemed...
Words: 340 - Pages: 2
...Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Kwame D. Brooks BIO/101 October 16, 2014 Prof. Rafael Frim Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Even though the indiscriminate use of antibiotics is enhanced by their free and uncontrolled availability ‘across the counter’, particularly in developing and Third World countries where regulatory mechanisms leave much to be desired. Alternately, even in developed countries, there is a clear connection between overall antibiotic intake and the rate of recurrence of the discovery of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. According to Barry Commoner, “First law of ecology: ‘Everything is related to everything else’.” As such, these antibiotic-resistant bacteria evolves into a most important health problem that becomes the foundation for some patients to be incurable to previously treated infections because the development of antibiotic resistance. This is primarily due to disproportionate and often superfluous use of antibiotics in humans and animals. According to G. Gopal Rio “Risk factors for the spread of resistant bacteria in hospitals and the community can be summarized as overcrowding, lapses in hygiene or poor infection control practices. Increasing antibiotic resistance in bacteria has been exacerbated by the slow pace in developing newer antibiotics and bacteria can be innately resistant or may acquire resistance to antibiotics” (1998). In essence, these two types of conflict are probably in the same way significant in the perspective of the management...
Words: 962 - Pages: 4
...AAntibiotics Antibiotics are a chemical which work by being either bactericidal where they kill microorganisms; or by being bacteristatic where they inhibit the growth of the microorganisms. Narrow spectrum antibiotics target specific reaction in particular microorganisms; whereas broad spectrum antibiotics will have an effect on more general features so affect a wide range of pathogens. They work by cell wall synthesis: an example of a bactericidal antibiotic is Penicillin, this works by preventing the production of peptidoglycan which is a substance that forms in the cell wall. This means the cell will continue to grow without dividing or developing new cell wall Therefore, the wall gets weaker, and eventually ruptures. Another way antibiotics works is by protein synthesis: an example of a bacteriostatic antibiotic is Tetracycline, it binds to ribosomes in bacteria this means the cell cannot make proteins and therefore inhibits growth. The benefits of using antibiotics is that it helps people with weakened immune systems, it can treat many infections such as strep throat, tonsillitis and sinusitis, it is easy to administer since you can take them orally or via injection, it has few side effects and is cost effective. However issues concerning antibiotics are allergic reactions depending on your drug allergies you may be extremely allergic to some types of antibiotics, such as those containing sulfa. Unfortunately, sulfa is present in many common antibiotics, so it may be...
Words: 462 - Pages: 2
...Self-Study Quiz: What Can We Do About Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria? You Decide What Can We Do About Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria? Summarize, evaluate, and argue the validity of the data that demonstrate the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Then present a plan for reducing this problem in the future. Keep these questions in mind: · What data supports the hypothesis that antibiotic-resistance is on the rise? What problems do you see in this data? Can you propose a way to overcome these problems · Which methods have been successful in decreasing the number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains? Which methods have not? · What shortcomings or errors do these given studies have? Can you design a new study that would overcome them? Student Deliverable: Summarize, evaluate, and argue the validity of the data that demonstrate the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Can antibiotic resistance be over come? What can we do?Let's start with washing our hands often with soap and water this will help to prevent a disease and also the need for antibiotics. Also, while handling food such as meet make sure meat is cooked though, and the food is handled hygienically. This will help with food-borne illnesses. We need to make sure to take antibiotics only if needed. What is happening is more often than most is, we tend to go to the doctor for the mere ordinary cold. But do you really need that antibiotic? A cold is a virus antibiotic will not help cure the common cold...
Words: 1236 - Pages: 5
...MSc Biotechnology, Bioprocessing & Business Management 2014/15 Module name and number Fundamentals of Biotechnology: BS934 Assignment title Antimicrobials Student Number 1464986 Word Count 2470 The article will initially cover conventional antibiotics and how their abuse led to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Alternative antimicrobials will be reviewed by taking into consideration their mechanisms of action and how they can represent a viable option to address the issue of antibiotic resistance. Antimicrobial Background ------------------------------------------------- Figure 1: Structure of penicillin and β-lactam ring (Adapted from LNLS, 2013) ------------------------------------------------- Figure 1: Structure of penicillin and β-lactam ring (Adapted from LNLS, 2013) Antimicrobials are substances that kill or suppress microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses (EPA, 2014). The first evidence of antimicrobials dates back to the Egyptians who used mouldy bread to treat surface infections (Wainwright, 1989). At the beginning of the 20th century, Paul Ehrlich synthesized the first antimicrobial agent known as Salvarsan, a drug used for treating syphilis (Aminov, 2010). Successively Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by noticing that the growth of Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited in presence of the mold produced by Penicillium fungi. This led to the conclusion that microorganisms produce substances to limit...
Words: 3946 - Pages: 16
...Antibiotic Resistance Xzaviette Hill BIO/101 November 3, 2014 The first antibiotic was developed by Alexander Fleming in 1929. Since then, antibiotics have revolutionized the medical field. They were so revolutionary that many proclaimed them as a “wonder drug.” Many illnesses that were considered incurable became easily cured. So, what is an antibiotic? Well, an antibiotic is a medicine that can kill, or inhibit the growth or reproduction of, microorganisms. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections alone; they have no effect on viral or fungal infections. The 1930’s marked the beginning of the antibiotic revolution. Since then, antibiotics have been used to fight off various bacterial diseases including, pneumonia, tuberculosis, leprosy, and typhus. These diseases can be fatal. Typhus alone has a mortality rate of 70% when left untreated. Yes, antibiotics have saved many lives. Nonetheless, antibiotics are by no means infallible. In recent years, a new problem has manifested; some bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics. Doctors have discovered that over-prescription contributes to the evolution of antibiotic- resistant bacteria. Over- prescription is the excessive prescription of a medication. Antibiotic over- prescription occurs when physicians prescribe antibiotics for small infections that the body could have otherwise fought off itself or for viral and fungal infections that, as I stated before, can’t be treated with antibiotics. The issue of over-...
Words: 525 - Pages: 3
...Antibiotics: A Harmful Misused Product Today, the human race has way too much reliance on antibiotics and products associated with them. Many people are extremely unaware of what can happen if antibiotics are overused or used incorrectly. Nobody allows their body to heal itself. In certain cases antibiotics should be used to help cure one of an infection but not in the ways they are used today. Antibiotics can be found in many household that includes mostly all wipes and sprays. Antibiotics being included in all of these products can do nothing but hurt one in the long run. Placing antibiotics in cleaning appliances can cause all bacteria to become immune and change so that the antibiotic becomes unproductive and the bacterium becomes stronger. Antibiotics are used for anything from cuts to strep throat and pneumonia and have been for a very long time. They are becoming impotent because they are used incorrectly by nearly everyone: doctors, patients, and even people raising animals for meat. The misuse would be prescribing the drugs completely incorrectly. In doing this, superbugs are produced and they are extremely antibiotic resistant and almost impossible to stop. Antibiotics also kill some of the good and helpful bacteria inside of the body which may allow resistant bacteria to fill in. The human body itself has sets up its own defenses with pathogens and other walls that fight and harmful bacteria off without any use of antibiotics. It is very faulty to overuse any type...
Words: 1676 - Pages: 7
...(HGT). During HGT, genetic information from a donor organism is transferred to a recipient, creating a new genotype.” (Willey, Sherwood, & Woolverton, 2014, p. 10). So we therefore see different mechanisms for genetic transfer: either between differeing microbial species or intergenerational - between the same species. HGT also means that the evolution of microbial species result in a myriad of new species with a diverse gene pool and according to Willey, Sherwood, & Woolverton, (2014), leading to the evolution of species with antibiotic resistance, new virulence properties, and novel metabolic capabilities (p. 10). The same is true for disinfectants and other germicides which are used extensively in the homes and healthcare settings. Research has shown that Pseudomonas aeruginosa adapted its metabolism to literally pump out the antimicrobial agents aded to the culture. The species even developed resistance to Ciproflaxacin – a popular antibiotic used...
Words: 442 - Pages: 2
