Antibiotic resistance origins

Goode J. and D.J. Chadwick Antibiotic Resistance, Origins, Evolution. Selection and Spread. Vol. 207, John Wiley Sons. Inc.. New York, NY, 1997. 

Our job in this chapter is to nnderstand what the important antibacterials are and how they work. If yon want the whole story in all its elegant scientific detail, Christopher Walsh has bronght it together in his book Antibiotics Actions, Origins, Resistance ... 

C. Walsh, Antibiotics Actions, Origins, Resistance, ASNl Pi ess, Washington, DC, 2003. 

Davies J, Davies D (2010) Origins and evolution of antibiotic resistance. Microbiol Mol Biol... 

Messi P, Guerrieri E, Bondi M (2005) Antibiotic resistance and antibacterial activity in heterotrophic bacteria of mineral water origin. Sci Total Environ 346(1-3) 213-219... 

These two herds have provided information on development, persistency and transfer of antibacterial resistance and. furthermore, they have provided information regarding the impact the previously proposed restrictions (Fed. Reg. 42 43770 and 42 52645. 1977) of antibiotic usage would have on antibiotic resistant bacteria of animal origin as a health hazard to humans. 

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is not a fixed property, and the degree of resistance detectable in the laboratory probably bears litde relationship to the resistance of the organism when growing in the intestinal tract of animals. The types of resistance that bacteria may develop to the action of antibiotics involve two distinct mechanisms mutation and inheritance. The former mechanism affects DNA sequence and results in the synthesis of a protein or macromolecule by the bacterial chromosome that differs from the original chemical entity, with the ability to interfere with the antibiotic activity. Because an antibiotic hinders a bacterium only after it has entered or crossed the cell wall and has bound to a target site, resistance can develop directly if the mutation has so altered the characteristics of the protein or macromolecule that the cell wall, receptor site, or transport mechanism is no longer friendly to the antibiotic. 

Inherited resistance in bacteria is accepted as the most important type from the standpoint of the community and the environment. Studies of isolated microorganisms of animal and human origin have demonstrated that plasmids from both sorts of isolates were practically identical. In terms of the dissemination of resistance determinants of R-plasmids, one must regard the problem as involving both humans and animals as vectors. Presence of a large reservoir of antibiotic-resistant organisms in animals has been demonstrated in the United States. 

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