Question

A researcher studied the development of resistance to antibiotics by bacteria. She studied several antibiotics to determine how long it took for bacteria to develop resistance. She found that, on average, it took eight years for bacteria to develop resistance to an antibiotic. In some cases, bacteria developed resistance to an antibiotic within a year, and none of the antibiotics were still completely effective on bacteria after 30 years.

How is this possible?

Answer 1

See Explanation

Step-by-step explanation:

Antibiotic resistance is said to have occurred when a given antibiotic drug is no longer effective against the target organisms. This is as a result of genetic mutation in the organism that enable resistance to the drug.

When a drug is being used against a particular organism, the organism gradually develops genetic mutations that helps it to inactivate the antibiotic drug and increase its chances of survival. These traits are passed on to offspring, hence the onset of resistance to antibiotic drugs.

There are different mechanisms of antibiotic resistance which include; Degrading the antibiotic drugs by the use of enzymes secreted by the organism, altering proteins present in the organism upon which the antibiotic drug acts and changing membrane permeability to antibiotic drugs.