Final answer:
The evolution of antibiotic resistance is due to natural selection, where the overuse and misuse of antibiotics lead to the multiplication of resistant bacteria while susceptible ones are eliminated. The development of resistance involves different mechanisms, including mutations and efflux pumps, and is a slow process influenced by evolutionary mechanisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question is (c) Resistance is slow to develop due to evolutionary mechanisms. Not all bacteria are resistant to antibiotics because the process of developing resistance evolves through natural selection. When antibiotics are used, they kill susceptible bacteria, but those with resistance mutations survive. These resistant bacteria then reproduce, leading to a higher proportion of resistant bacteria over time. However, this process can be slow and is influenced by various factors including the rate of mutation, the level of antibiotic use, and environmental conditions.
There are four main ways by which bacteria become resistant to antibiotics: (A) by degrading or modifying the antibiotic, (B) by mutating the target that the antibiotic affects, (C) by preventing the antibiotic from entering the cell, and (D) by removing the antibiotics through efflux pumps. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals accelerate this process, leading to an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria.