Looking at what antibiotics are and how resistance occurs

1. What is Antibiotic
Resistance
A Quick Guide to What it Actually Is!

2. What Are Bacteria
 Bacteria are microscopic
singled celled organisms that
vary in structure to our own
cells
 Some cause disease in us
where others are just
permanent residents that
tend to do no harm
 Fun fact there are actually
more bacterial cells in your
body than your own cells!
Your Typical Bacteria
https://cnx.org/contents/pwYwLUwZ@2/Prokaryotes

3. What do Antibiotics do?
 Bacteria have the ability to cause disease in the human
body whether it’s a sore throat caused by
streptococcus pyogenes or a boil caused by
staphylococcus aureus
 Sometimes our body can not cope with the infection by
itself and it needs help
 This is where antibiotics come in. They have a variety
of mechanisms where they can either kill the bacteria
or stop colony growth to help restore us back to health.

4. How Antibiotics Work
 They work by targeting the
differences between human and
bacterial cells
 Cell wall synthesis is targeted to
make the bacterial cell weak
 DNA synthesis is targeted so the
bacteria can not replicate
 RNA and ribosomes are targeted
so the bacteria can’t produce the
proteins and products it needs
 Some also disrupt the cell
membrane however they can also
damage our cell membranes too
http://www.slideshare.net/valelecruz01/antibiotic-susceptibility-of-
multidrugresistant-nosocomial-bacteria-acinetobacter-baumannii

5. How Resistance Occurs
 Bacteria can undergo genetic change, some of which lead to
antibiotic resistance
 These genetic changes can occur as a mutation on the DNA
(chromosomal mutation) or acquisition of new genetic
material in the form of either a transposon or a plasmid
(these are basically genetic material that can be exchanged
between bacteria)
 The above can result in bacteria becoming impermeable to
bacteria, developing efflux pumps, alteration in antibiotics
target or production of new enzymes that break down the
antibiotic.

6. How Resistance Occurs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_resistance

7. How Antibiotic Resistance
Spreads
http://lumibyte.eu/microbiology-news/antibiotic-resistance-spreads/#prettyPhoto

8. That’s All Folks
 So that’s A brief introduction to Antibiotic Resistance
 If you want to test your knowledge feel free to attempt
the quiz
 Stay tuned as next we will be addressing the
prevalence in first vs. third world countries