By #10
Natural selection is the process in witch by nature organisms gain or lose traits over many generations in order to survive in an environment while other organisms die off because their lack of the important traits that are crucial for survival. Bacteria have been around for billions of years. Various strains killed people during the first part of the twentieth century up until antibiotics started to be used and lives were saved. Could natural selection be responsible for the bacteria adapting to this harsher environment making them resistant to antibiotics?
Antibiotics have been a great way for humans to get over that harsh infection and diseases but they are now used in everyday products like hand sanitizer and cleaning products. This overuse of antibiotics contributes to the natural selection of bacteria, killing the weak bacteria but leaving the strongest bacteria to live and produce offspring. Unlike humans, bacteria can evolve much quicker because of a shorter lifespan and because they are able to reproduce every 20 minutes allowing it to gain traits much quicker to survive. That’s where the term “super bug” comes in, the stronger bacteria get the less the antibiotics work to fight it off and bacteria become immune to antibiotics.
One of these “super bugs” that is immune to many antibiotics is MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). More commonly known as the Staph infection, MRSA is a bacterium responsible for deadly infections and is difficult to treat because of its resistance to beta-lactams, a group of antibiotics including penicillins, and Cephalosporins. In Canada 2,300 people died and in the US 18,00 people die annually because of this deadly infection. MRSA is commonly found in athletes, soldiers and prisoners but can also be spread through hospitals. In a case in Texas a high school football player was paralyzed because of his Staph infected turf burns and required 3 surgeries to remove all the infected tissue.
To prevent these new bacteria from spreading and becoming stronger we should always wash are hands with soap and water not antibiotic hand lotions and only use antibiotics when prescribed by a doctor. If you are given antibiotics from a doctor you should follow her/his directions exactly. Prematurely stopping a dose of antibiotics can lead to the bacteria becoming stronger and possibly resistant to antibiotics setting you up for a difficult, perhaps deadly illness.
As people continue to use antibiotics we are forcing natural selection onto bacteria causing antibiotic resistance. In the future new medicines will need to be made to fight these new stronger bacteria… if time doesn’t run out.
References
BrainPop, BP. (Producer). (1999-2010). Antibiotic resistance. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.brainpop.com/science/ecologyandbehavior/antibioticresistance/
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. (2010). Wikipedia. Retrieved (2010, March 29) from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methicillin-resistant_Staphylococcus_aureus
Antibiotic resistance. (2010). Wikipedia. Retrieved (2010, March 29) from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic_resistance
Antibiotic. (2010). Wikipedia. Retrieved (2010, March 29) from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic#History_of_antibiotics
Science Notes, SN. (2008). Mrsa infections killed 2300 canadians in 2006. Retrieved from http://sciencenotes.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/mrsa-infections-killed-2300-canadians-in-2006/
#14
ReplyDeletei agree that antibiotics should not be over used because although they are meant to help, too much will eventually become harmful.
I understand that the natural selection theory is the reason behind bacteria slowly creating a resistance to antibiotics.What i dont understand is how the infection MRSA, caused by a certain bacterium can have such a strong resistance to antibiotics in a person who has just caught the bacteria.
It would only be understandable if the infection was contagious, then the bacteria would already have an immune to the certain antibiotics, but if it is something that is generated through an individual, then shouldnt the level of immunity toward antibiotics be dependant on the time it has been present?
Also, why is this infection common in althletes, soldiers, and prisoners? Would it be because there is probably a higher level of bacteria in all those areas? Or is it just random?
#11
ReplyDeleteWow. That picture is very effective. That was a very good idea. That was what caught my attention to this blog right away.
There was alot of very good, strong, interesting facts. They were clear and tasteful.
One question that I had was, since we have such great technology, and are inventing something new everyday, why haven't we found a cure for this disease? Or at least something to tame it. The fact that 2300 people die in canada and 1800 in the US outstands me. You would think there is a way to at least help protect these people.
Another question that i had was does it only affect active people? That kind of confuses me seeings how you would believe that healthy and active people would have a better chance at fighting off the bacteria, and the common people it targets is athletes, and soldiers.