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What are antibiotics and why are some bacteria resistant to them?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Antibiotics, also known as antibacterials, are types of medications that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria. The Greek word antimeans "against", and the Greek word biosmeans "life" (bacteria are life forms).
Antibioticsare used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Bacteria are microscopic organisms, some of which may cause illness. The word bacteria is the plural of bacterium.
Such illnesses as syphilis, tuberculosis, salmonella, and some forms of meningitis are caused by bacteria. Some bacteria are harmless, while others are good for us.
Before bacteria can multiply and cause symptoms, the body's immune system can usually destroy them. We have special white blood cells that attack harmful bacteria. Even if symptoms do occur, our immune system can usually cope and fight off the infection. There are occasions, however, when it is all too much and some help is needed.....from antibiotics.
The first antibiotic was penicillin. Such penicillin-related antibiotics as ampicillin, amoxicillin and benzylpenicilllin are widely used today to treat a variety of infections - these antibiotics have been around for a long time. There are several different types of modern antibiotics and they are only available with a doctor's prescription in industrialized countries.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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Do antibiotics cause bacteria to become resistant?
Yes, over use of antibiotics can cause bacteria to become resistant.
What is a word meaning a bacteria has adapted to antibiotics?
Resistant or resistance is when a bacteria has adapted to an antibiotic.
What is an mrsa?
mrsa means multiple resistant staphylococus aureus. Is a bacteria which is resistant to several antibiotics
are Antibiotics are useful for limiting the growth of most pathogenic bacteria?
no, many bacteria have become resistant due to improper use of antibiotics.
What is antibiotic resistant bacteria?
Also known as "superbugs", antibiotic resistant bacteria have evolved to a point that our usual antibiotics won't kill them. VRE and MRSA are common forms of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
How does resistance develop in bacteria?
Bacteria, like all organisms, have phenotypic variations. Some bacteria are resistant to antibacterial drugs and survive the onslaught of these drugs. They then go on to have progeny ( by fission ) that they confer this resistance on so that you have a new population of resistant bacteria.
Why has there been a large increase of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria?
Overuse of traditional antibiotics has caused a selection of those bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotic.
What is the given name to the bacteria that doesn't respond to antibiotics?
If a microbe is not affected by antibiotics, it is said to be resistant to the antibiotic.
Does bacteria exhibit genetic diversity within bacterial species?
Yes. This is why bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
How do antibiotic resistant bacteria come about?
This term is misleading. The antibiotic "selects" bacteria that are not affected by it. If a person will grow bacteria on a petri dish and add an antibiotic to it, some bacteria may live and grow. This is actually a form of natural selection. The ones that will grow are resistance to the antibiotic. They have some way of not being affected. If a person takes a colony from the plate that has this resistance and grows it on another plate and add the antibiotic, all on the plate will be resistant.
How does a population of bacteria resistant to antibiotics?
the bacteria mutates , so the antibiotic no longer affects the bacteria , therefore making it resistance
The bacteria that has been most effective at becoming resistant to antibiotics is?
Clostridium difficile.
