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B6: Quiz 13 – Answers
B6: Quiz 13 – Answers
1) Antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria come about due to a random mutation in the DNA of the bacteria that makes the bacteria resistant to antibiotics. As this new strain of bacteria is resistant to antibiotics, it won’t be killed by the antibiotics and is therefore more likely to survive and reproduce, which passes the antibiotic resistant gene onto future generations. This results in more of the bacteria in the population being antibiotic resistant. The antibiotic resistant strain of the bacteria spreads easily through individuals as people are not immune to the new strain of the bacteria and there is no effective treatment
2) Bacteria multiply/ reproduce extremely quickly (they reproduce around every 20 minutes). This means that they evolve very quickly
3) The two examples are:
4)
a) The rate of development of new antibiotics is slow because:
5)
a) By taking the whole course of antibiotics we are ensuring that all of the bacteria are killed, which means that none survive to mutate and form antibiotic resistant strains
b)
i) The antibiotics prevent the livestock from becoming ill, which means that they grow faster and make the farmer more money
ii) Some of the antibiotic resistant bacteria from the livestock will also be human pathogens, which means that they can be passed to humans when we either prepare the food from the animals or when we consume them (meat and milk). Also, the antibiotics that the farm animals take will be excreted, which passes into the environment through faeces, urine and sewage. This can result in bacteria in water and land becoming resistant to antibiotics. Some of the antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria can then be passed onto humans
2) Bacteria multiply/ reproduce extremely quickly (they reproduce around every 20 minutes). This means that they evolve very quickly
3) The two examples are:
- Prescribing antibiotics for bacterial infections that would have cleared up on their own without antibiotics
- Prescribing antibiotics for infections that antibiotics won’t kill like viral infections
4)
a) The rate of development of new antibiotics is slow because:
- developing antibiotics is extremely expensive
- many tests and clinical trials need to take place which makes the process extremely long
5)
a) By taking the whole course of antibiotics we are ensuring that all of the bacteria are killed, which means that none survive to mutate and form antibiotic resistant strains
b)
i) The antibiotics prevent the livestock from becoming ill, which means that they grow faster and make the farmer more money
ii) Some of the antibiotic resistant bacteria from the livestock will also be human pathogens, which means that they can be passed to humans when we either prepare the food from the animals or when we consume them (meat and milk). Also, the antibiotics that the farm animals take will be excreted, which passes into the environment through faeces, urine and sewage. This can result in bacteria in water and land becoming resistant to antibiotics. Some of the antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria can then be passed onto humans
Questions
1) Explain how antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria come about and how they are spread.
2) Why do bacteria evolve quickly?
3) Antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria are becoming more common due to the overprescribing and inappropriate use of antibiotics. Give two examples of this taking place?
4)
a) Why is the rate of development of new antibiotics slow?
b) Which is faster out of the development of new antibiotics and the increase in new strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria?
5)
a) One way that we can slow the increase in new strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria is to ensure that individuals take the full course of their antibiotics even if they are feeling better. Why?
b) Another way that we can slow the increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria is to reduce the use of antibiotics in agriculture.
i) Why do farmers give their livestock antibiotics?
ii) How can the antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria spread from livestock to humans?
1) Explain how antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria come about and how they are spread.
2) Why do bacteria evolve quickly?
3) Antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria are becoming more common due to the overprescribing and inappropriate use of antibiotics. Give two examples of this taking place?
4)
a) Why is the rate of development of new antibiotics slow?
b) Which is faster out of the development of new antibiotics and the increase in new strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria?
5)
a) One way that we can slow the increase in new strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria is to ensure that individuals take the full course of their antibiotics even if they are feeling better. Why?
b) Another way that we can slow the increase in antibiotic resistant bacteria is to reduce the use of antibiotics in agriculture.
i) Why do farmers give their livestock antibiotics?
ii) How can the antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria spread from livestock to humans?