What does the term “antibiotic resistance” refer to?

What does the term “antibiotic resistance” refer to?

• A. The ability of bacteria to convert antibiotics into nutrients
• B. The capacity of bacteria to survive in high temperatures
• C. The ability of bacteria to grow in the presence of antibiotics that inhibit their growth
• D. The process by which bacteria undergo mutation

Answer: (C)

The term “antibiotic resistance” specifically refers to the ability of bacteria to grow and proliferate in the presence of antibiotics that would normally inhibit their growth or kill them. This phenomenon occurs when bacteria develop or acquire mechanisms that allow them to withstand the effects of antibiotics. These mechanisms can include changes in the bacterial cell wall, production of enzymes that degrade the antibiotic, or alterations in target sites that the antibiotic would typically bind to. As a result, infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria become more difficult to treat, posing a significant challenge in medical treatment and increasing the risk of severe illness. The other concepts are not related to antibiotic resistance. The transformation of antibiotics into nutrients does not occur in bacteria; high-temperature survival is a characteristic of heat resistance rather than antibiotic resistance; and while mutations can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance, the term itself specifically describes the resistant ability, rather than the process by which it is achieved.

The term “antibiotic resistance” specifically refers to the ability of bacteria to grow and proliferate in the presence of antibiotics that would normally inhibit their growth or kill them. This phenomenon occurs when bacteria develop or acquire mechanisms that allow them to withstand the effects of antibiotics. These mechanisms can include changes in the bacterial cell wall, production of enzymes that degrade the antibiotic, or alterations in target sites that the antibiotic would typically bind to. As a result, infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria become more difficult to treat, posing a significant challenge in medical treatment and increasing the risk of severe illness.

The other concepts are not related to antibiotic resistance. The transformation of antibiotics into nutrients does not occur in bacteria; high-temperature survival is a characteristic of heat resistance rather than antibiotic resistance; and while mutations can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance, the term itself specifically describes the resistant ability, rather than the process by which it is achieved.