Q.13 Describe the antibiotic resistance?
Answer:
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotics are most important in medicine but unfortunately bacteria are capable of developing resistance to them. Such bacteria are not affected by commonly used antibiotics, this condition is called antibiotic resistance.
Ways of resistance
Bacteria have number of ways of developing resistance.
i. Stopage by internal mechanism Sometimes, their internal mechanism stops the working of antibiotics.
ii. Gene transferi
Bacteria can also transfer the genes responsible for antibiotic resistance between them. Such bacteria make it possible for other bacteria to acquire resistance.
iii. Efficacy
Another cause of antibiotic resistance is their use in diseases in which they have no efficacy (e.g. antibiotics are not effective against infections caused by viruses).
Problems Related to Resistance to antibiotics
1. Some bacterial infections are becoming more difficult to treat,
2. Some of the resistant bacteria can be treated with more powerful antibiotics.
3. Some infections do not eliminate even with new antibiotics
