This key facts covers Superbugs: The Resistance Champions within Antibiotics and Drug Resistance for GCSE Biology. Antibiotic function, bacterial resistance evolution, responsible use, global health impact It is section 6 of 18 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Superbugs: The Resistance Champions
Examples of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria:
- MRSA: Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus - resistant to methicillin and many other antibiotics
- VRE: Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci - resistant to vancomycin, often used as last resort
- MDR-TB: Multi-Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis - resistant to multiple anti-TB drugs
- XDR-TB: Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis - resistant to most available treatments
- CRE: Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae - resistant to carbapenem antibiotics
Why Superbugs Are Dangerous:
- Limited treatment options available
- Higher mortality rates from infections
- Longer hospital stays and recovery times
- More expensive treatments required
- Risk of spreading resistance to other bacteria
Practice questions for Antibiotics and Drug Resistance
What do antibiotics kill or stop growing?
Explain how antibiotic resistance develops in bacteria through natural selection. (3 marks)
Quick recall flashcards
What are antibiotics and what do they target?
Antibiotics are chemicals that kill bacteria or stop them from growing.
They target structures that bacteria have but human cells do not, such as cell walls.
Examples: penicillin, amoxicillin, streptomycin.
Why do antibiotics NOT work against viruses?
Antibiotics target bacterial cell walls and bacterial processes.
Viruses do not have cell walls and use the host cell's own machinery to reproduce.
There is nothing for the antibiotic to target in a virus.