How did the widespread use of antibiotics in treating patients lead to a new problem in microbiology?

• A. It led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
• B. It reduced the need for vaccination programs.
• C. It caused antibiotics to become more effective over time.
• D. It eliminated all infectious diseases.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the role of antibiotics: Antibiotics are drugs used to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria causing infections in patients.
2. Recognize the effect of widespread antibiotic use: When antibiotics are used extensively, they create selective pressure on bacterial populations.
3. Explain selective pressure: This means that bacteria susceptible to antibiotics are killed, while those with mutations or traits that confer resistance survive and multiply.
4. Identify the consequence: Over time, this leads to the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are harder to treat with standard antibiotics.
5. Conclude why this is a problem: Antibiotic resistance reduces the effectiveness of treatments, making infections more difficult to control and increasing the risk of treatment failure.