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Antimicrobial Resistance quiz

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  • What is antibiotic resistance?
    Antibiotic resistance refers to mechanisms that make antibiotics less effective against bacteria.
  • How does the use of antibiotics select for resistant bacteria?
    Using antibiotics kills susceptible bacteria, allowing resistant ones to survive and reproduce, making resistance more common.
  • Do antibiotics cause mutations that lead to resistance?
    No, antibiotics do not cause mutations; resistance is usually already present and is selected for during antibiotic use.
  • What are antibiotic resistance genes?
    Antibiotic resistance genes are specific genetic sequences that give bacteria the ability to resist certain antibiotics.
  • What is vertical gene transfer in the context of antibiotic resistance?
    Vertical gene transfer is the passing of resistance genes from parent to offspring during bacterial reproduction.
  • What is horizontal gene transfer and why is it important for antibiotic resistance?
    Horizontal gene transfer is the movement of resistance genes between unrelated bacteria, often via plasmids, and it spreads resistance rapidly.
  • What role do plasmids play in antibiotic resistance?
    Plasmids are small circular DNA molecules that can carry multiple resistance genes and spread them between bacteria through conjugation.
  • Name two important enzymes that confer antibiotic resistance and the drugs they target.
    Beta-lactamase confers resistance to penicillin, and carbapenemase confers resistance to carbapenems.
  • What are the four main mechanisms by which bacteria resist antibiotics?
    The four main mechanisms are decreased influx, rapid efflux, enzymatic inactivation, and alteration of the target site.
  • How does decreased influx contribute to antibiotic resistance?
    Decreased influx prevents antibiotics from entering the bacterial cell, often by altering porins in the outer membrane.
  • What is rapid efflux and how does it help bacteria survive antibiotics?
    Rapid efflux involves proteins that pump antibiotics out of the cell, reducing their concentration and effectiveness inside the bacterium.
  • How does enzymatic inactivation work as a resistance mechanism?
    Enzymatic inactivation uses enzymes to chemically modify or destroy antibiotics, rendering them ineffective.
  • What is meant by alteration of the target site in antibiotic resistance?
    Alteration of the target site means changing the bacterial structure that the antibiotic binds to, so the drug can no longer bind and act.
  • How does overuse or misuse of antibiotics contribute to resistance?
    Overuse or misuse increases the selection pressure for resistant bacteria, accelerating the spread of resistance.
  • Why is antibiotic use in agriculture a concern for human health?
    Antibiotic use in agriculture selects for resistance in animal bacteria, which can spread to human pathogens through environmental routes.