Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Definition
Antimicrobial resistance (insensitivity) is the ability
of a microorganism to prevent an antimicrobial (e. g.,
antibiotic) from working against it. Resistance to particular
antibiotics can develop naturally. The use of
an antibiotic for any infection, in any dose and over
any time period forces bacteria to either adapt or die
in a phenomenon known as “selective pressure”. The
microbes that adapt and survive carry genes for resistance
that can be transferred between individuals.When
an antibiotic is given, it kills the sensitive bacteria
but any resistant bacteria can survive and multiply.
Microorganisms that are not killed or inhibited by an
antibiotic are called “antibiotic resistant”. If a bacterium
carries several resistance genes, it is called multiresistant.

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