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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
Explain how the use of antibiotics has led to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria becoming a common cause of infection acquired when in hospital.
Answer
The use of antibiotics creates a selective pressure on bacterial populations. When patients are treated with antibiotics, non-resistant bacteria are often killed off, while those with resistant alleles survive and reproduce. This leads to a higher frequency of antibiotic-resistant strains, making them more prevalent in hospital settings where patients with weakened immune systems are present. Consequently, the increased presence of these resistant strains contributes to their common occurrence as hospital-acquired infections.