Antibiotic Resistance

Also known as:  Bacterial Resistance;  Drug Resistance

Antibiotic Resistance is the phenomena whereby the capacity of various pathogens (Detrimental Bacteria or Protozoa) develop the capacity to withstand Pharmaceutical Antibiotics that were previously toxic to them.  It occurs via spontaneous mutations in pathogens or through selective pressure after exposure to the Pharmaceutical Antibiotic in question.

Frequent use of Pharmaceutical Antibiotics results in the inevitable survival of certain mutant Bacteria.  These mutant Bacteria then reproduce, creating strains that inherently either lack susceptibility to the Pharmaceutical Antibiotic’s mode of action or which have gained resistance via adaptation (for example by developing the ability to produce substances that de-activate the Pharmaceutical Antibiotic).

 Antibiotic Resistance has emerged as a major problem confronting clinicians around the world.

Prescribed Medications

 Over-prescription of Pharmaceutical Antibiotics is a major cause of the development of resistant strains of various Detrimental Bacteria: