Question

Why do some antibiotics become useless over time as bacteria develop resistance?

a) Bacteria share their immunity with other species.
b) Bacteria evolve to counteract the antibiotics.
c) Antibiotics lose their potency.
d) None of the above.

Answer 1

Antibiotics become useless over time due to bacteria developing resistance through natural selection, particularly as a result of overuse and incorrect use in humans and livestock.

Step-by-step explanation:

Antibiotics become less effective over time as bacteria develop resistance due to a process called natural selection. Bacteria that can survive the antibiotic due to genetic mutations or other resistance mechanisms can reproduce, passing on the resistant traits. Overuse and incorrect use of antibiotics, such as not completing a full course of prescribed antibiotics, can accelerate this process. Additionally, the excessive use of antibiotics in livestock and for illnesses not caused by bacteria, like viruses, also contributes to the rapid development of antibiotic resistance.

• Natural selection favors the survival and reproduction of bacteria with resistance traits.
• Bacteria can become resistant by different mechanisms, including producing enzymes to degrade the antibiotic, mutating the target of the antibiotic, blocking the antibiotic's entry into the cell, or pumping it out through efflux pumps.
• The spread of resistant bacteria is exacerbated by the imprudent use of antibiotics in both human medicine and agriculture.