Q22.3-1CC Explain how the following statem... [FREE SOLUTION]

Chapter 22: Q22.3-1CC (page 482)

Explain how the following statement is inaccurate: "Antibiotics have created drug resistance in MRSA."

Short Answer

Expert verified

The environment can not create new genetic traits. The given statement is somewhat true but not accurate. The drug resistance in the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA is generated due to the selection of already present antibiotic-resistant traits.

Step by step solution

Antibiotics

The chemical agents that can efficiently prevent microbial growth are called antibiotics. These agents should be non-toxic to the host cells while selectively being toxic to the target pathogen. The antibiotics can be narrow or broad-spectrum, targeting only Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria species or even both.

Antibiotics and drug resistance

The drugs act deleteriously toward the microbial communities. Antibiotic resistance is bacteria's property that protects them against the mechanisms through which an antibiotic hamper the bacterial process.

Antibiotic resistance develops in response to frequent exposure to particular groups of antibiotics.

The bacteria, hence, develop resistance in responding to antibiotic exposure. The subsequent generations tend to favor and select the antibiotic trait, which leads to antibiotic resistance rather than creating the antibiotic trait.

Drug resistance and MRSA

The MRSA is a large group of bacterial species that have developed antibiotic resistance against methicillin and related antibiotics such as amoxicillin and penicillin. The MRSA developed the trait over generations and can now successfully grow in the presence of the drugs mentioned above.