Question

Given what you learned about how influenza changes over time, how could you explain the emergence of drug resistance in bacterial pathogens?

Answer 1

Beneficial mutations events can generate resistance to drugs

Step-by-step explanation:

Bacteria can develop antibiotic resistance through mutations, as well as horizontal transference events, that allow them to reduce/eliminate the effectiveness of drugs used to treat infections. For example, penicillin-resistant strains have been identified in Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. In general, mutations have a negative impact on the fitness of the organism; however, there are cases where mutations increase the fitness of the individual. In consequence, antibiotic resistance may occur by natural selection, where antibiotic-resistant bacteria that exhibit beneficial mutations are selected to survive and perpetuate their genetic material.