Clostridium difficile is a bacterial species that causes disease in humans - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 2 - 2022 - Paper 1
Question 2
Clostridium difficile is a bacterial species that causes disease in humans.
Antibiotic-resistant strains of C. difficile have become a common cause of infection acq... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Clostridium difficile is a bacterial species that causes disease in humans - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 2 - 2022 - Paper 1
Step 1
Some bacteria have alleles for resistance;
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Answer
Certain bacteria possess genetic variations (alleles) that provide them with resistance to antibiotics.
Step 2
Exposure to antibiotics is the selection pressure
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When antibiotics are administered, they serve as a selection pressure that leads to the preferential survival of resistant bacteria over non-resistant strains.
Step 3
So, more antibiotics used in hospital (compared with elsewhere)
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Hospitals typically use antibiotics more frequently, which increases the likelihood that resistant bacteria will reproduce and thrive, leading to a higher frequency of antibiotic-resistant infections.
