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The Evolution of Bacteria and Disease. By: Kaitlin Taylor. Introduction. Bacteria has been around forever When penicillin was discovered, it was a medical miracle Penicillin vanquished WW2’s biggest killer-bacterial infected wounds 4 yrs. later, suddenly microbes could resist penicillin.
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The Evolution of Bacteria and Disease By: Kaitlin Taylor
Introduction • Bacteria has been around forever • When penicillin was discovered, it was a medical miracle • Penicillin vanquished WW2’s biggest killer-bacterial infected wounds • 4 yrs. later, suddenly microbes could resist penicillin..
Why was this happening? • Well evolution of course!! • Bacteria has variations, we know evolution likes variation.. • Bacterial variants have evolved to resist antibiotics • More bacteria have evolved, and now there are things like “super bugs”
How do antibiotics work? • Penicillin kills bacteria by attaching to the cell wall • Part of the cell wall is destroyed, and the cell will die • Penicillin can also affect the ribosome's of a bacterial cell
How does Antibiotic Resistance Work? • Let’s look at some biology… • Antibiotic Resistance happens in 3 ways:
Antibiotic Resistance Cont’d… • 1) In spontaneous DNA mutation, bacterial DNA may mutate sporadically
Antibiotic Resistance Cont’d… • 2) Transformation process where one bacterium takes the DNA of another
Antibiotic Resistance Cont’d… • Plasmid DNA flicking from one bacterium to another… This one is the scariest form.
Other reasons bacteria become resistant.. • Societal factors too.. • Inappropriate drug use • Transmission of disease • Sometimes we don’t need antibiotics!
How can we solve this problem? • Limit the use of antibiotics • Fight evolution with.. Evolution! • Example: Cholera • Theoretical Example: AIDS • It’s hard to say for certain….
Conclusion • This evolutionary science is still in its early stages • We need to be more careful with antibiotics!!!! • Using public health measures can help too