Antibiotic Resistance

• What is antibiotic resistance?

  It's when bacteria become resistant to antibiotics
• How did penicillin's effectiveness change over time?

  Some bacteria became resistant to it
• Why is antibiotic resistance a problem?

  It makes infections harder to treat
• What is the most well-known antibiotic?

  Penicillin
• How does antibiotic resistance develop in bacteria?

  Through random mutations in their DNA
• What happens when a resistant bacterium survives antibiotic treatment?

  It forms a new colony of resistant bacteria
• What do we call bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics?

  Superbugs
• What is an example of a superbug?

  MRSA
• Why is MRSA particularly concerning?

  It is resistant to many antibiotics
• Why is it important to complete a course of antibiotics?

  To ensure all bacteria are killed
• How common is it for bacteria to develop resistance?

  It's uncommon for bacteria to develop resistance
• How much antibiotics are estimated to be used each year?

  100,000 tons
• Why do doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics unnecessarily?

  For viral illnesses or non-serious cases
• How are antibiotics used in farming?

  To prevent illness and promote growth
• What are scientists trying to do about antibiotic resistance?

  Develop new antibiotics for resistant strains
• What is a consequence of using antibiotics in healthy animals?

  It creates a breeding ground for resistance
• Why is developing new antibiotics challenging?

  It is proving difficult and slow
• What is the significance of antibiotic resistance in public health?

  It complicates treatment and increases infection risks
• How do random mutations affect bacteria's response to antibiotics?

  They can lead to reduced effectiveness of antibiotics
• How does the rapid replication of bacteria contribute to antibiotic resistance?

  It allows resistant strains to proliferate quickly