What is antibiotic resistance and how does it spread?

What is antibiotic resistance and how does it spread?

When exposed to antibiotics, susceptible bacteria are killed; while excessive antibiotic use or their use for the wrong reasons can cause bacteria to become resistant and continue to grow and multiply. These resistant bacteria may spread and cause infections in other people.

How is antibiotic resistance transmitted?

➌Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can spread to humans through food and direct contact with animals. hospitals and then carry antibiotic- resistant bacteria. These can spread to other patients via unclean hands or contaminated objects.

What is the most common method bacteria share antibiotic resistance?

Bacteria can share genes with each other in a process called horizontal gene transfer. This can occur both between bacteria of the same species and between different species and by several different mechanisms, given the right conditions.

What are the two main ways that bacteria can get antibiotic resistance?

There are two main ways that bacterial cells can acquire antibiotic resistance. One is through mutations that occur in the DNA of the cell during replication. The other way that bacteria acquire resistance is through horizontal gene transfer.

How does poor hygiene affect antibiotic resistance?

Poor water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) leads to the spread of infectious diseases, which in turn leads to increased use of antibiotics. To reduce use is critical to limit emergence and spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

How does poor hygiene cause antibiotic resistance?

What bacteria did Addie get first?

Addie Rerecich was only 11 years old when she was hospitalized with MRSA, an infection her doctor said she likely caught by picking at a scab — like so many kids do. While in the hospital, she contracted an untreatable form of the bacteria stenotrophomonas that nearly took her life.

What infections did Addie have?

Doctors ordered a culture of her blood, and found her body was overcome with a Staphylococcus infection, a condition called sepsis. The infection had begun growing as an abscess in her hip muscle, and spread into her blood, eventually causing a devastating bacterial pneumonia in her lungs.

Can resistant bacteria be cured?

Standard antibiotics can’t kill bacteria that have become resistant. Many of these germs have spread all over the world. These bacteria can cause infections. They can be very hard to treat.

How do you fight antibiotic resistance?

To help fight antibiotic resistance and protect yourself against infection:

1. Don’t take antibiotics unless you’re certain you need them. An estimated 30% of the millions of prescriptions written each year are not needed.
2. Finish your pills.
3. Get vaccinated.
4. Stay safe in the hospital.