What does it mean when a pathogen developes resistance to an antibiotic?

Answer 1

It means that a virus cannot be killed or controlled with antibiotics. There are thoughts at this time that as viral infections come along they have the ability to mutate. When antibiotics are used to stop the spread of the infection the virus has developed and changed in manner that stops the antibiotic killing it off.

Answer 2

Easiest explanation is "that which does not kill you, makes you stronger". That rule definitely applies to bacteria. When providers prescribe antibiotics, patients typically do not finish the dosage; regardless to provider instruction. If these bacteria are not completely killed, they will survive only to become resistant to those antibiotics which were originally prescribed. For instance, the most common antibiotic prescribed for staphylococcus infections was methicillin. Now, we have Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus.

Answer 3

All organisms are variants ( differ in genotype which leads to differences in phenotype ) and some of these variants can be, more or less, resistant to pathogenic agents used by men to control them. Thus a bacteria that is resistant to, say, penicillin, survives that onslaught and give rise to the next generation of bacteria also resistant to penicillin. Then the bacterial population is resistant to that drug and a different version, or a different drug is used. We have gone through many types of penicillin drugs in the last 60 years because of this simple evolutionary fact.

Answer 4

Over time certain strains of bacteria can build a tolerance to antibiotics much like a person builds a tolerance to medicines. Over time, it simply renders the effect the medicine has on treating the illness/bacteria.

Answer 5

It means, in simplest terms, that the antibiotic that normally kills the bacteria no longer has an effect on it anymore, hence resistant. You can put as much antibiotic on the plate, but it will be able to survive (or at least most will barring any sudden mutations). For example, some bacteria can become ampicillin resistant by having a gene that produces a protein called bet-lactamase. This cleaves the beta lactam ring in the antibiotic, rendering it useless. <- This is a more detailed explanation of the mechanism by which a microbe can resist the effects of an antibiotic

Answer 6

When a pathogen develops resistance to an antibiotic, it means that the antibiotic is no longer able to effectively kill or inhibit the growth of that particular pathogen. This occurs when the pathogen undergoes genetic changes that allow it to survive the effects of the antibiotic.

Answer 7

the anitbiotic is either less effective against the pathogen or it has no effect at all

Answer 8

This is called immunity.