The term “drug-resistant bacteria” refers to superbugs that have evolved ways to survive exposure to antibiotics, which can be the medicines we typically use to fight infections.
The widespread use of antibiotics since the mid-20th century, sometimes for the wrong reasons, is one of the major reasons for this resistance.
And if left unchecked, even minor infectious bacteria could evolve and become deadly. That’s why understanding how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics is crucial.
At InfinixBio, we’re committed to developing new and effective solutions to analyze and predict the response of multiple pathogen strains to a wide variety of antibiotics. Today, we explore how bacteria develop antibiotic resistance to help you better understand the challenges and strategies involved in fighting drug-resistant bacteria.
When bacteria encounter antibiotics, due to selective pressure they can acquire new genes that allow them to survive.
These mutations and new gene acquisitions are the foundation of bacterial drug resistance. Below, we explore the different mechanisms behind bacteria resistance.
As stated above, bacteria can develop drug resistance through various kinds of genetic mutations.
These mutations are like errors or omissions in the genetic code, occasionally leading to beneficial alterations for their survival. Here are the three main types:
Point Mutations: Point mutations are the changes in a single nucleotide (the building block of DNA) that can alter overall gene functioning, potentially making the bacteria resistant to an antibiotic.
Insertions & Deletions: Like scrambling letters in a sentence, insertions add extra nucleotides, while deletions remove some. These disruptions can alter the stored information in the bacteria’s DNA, potentially leading to resistance development by various mechanisms such as creating new proteins that can pump out antibiotics or shield the bacteria from their effects.
Frameshift Mutations: Normally, bacteria read their DNA in groups or three letters (codons) to build proteins. Frameshifts due to insertion or deletion of nucleotides, disrupts the entire reading frame and create non-functional proteins
Apart from mutations, bacteria can also share genes with each other through a process called HGT, essentially transfering resistance genes from their neighbors.
There are three possible ways this genetic swap meet can happen:
1. Conjugation: During conjugation, bacteria directly connect to another bacteria through a bridge-like structure and transfer genetic material. .
This transferred DNA can include plasmids that often carry genes for antibiotic resistance. This rapid gene sharing can turn a susceptible population into a drug-resistant one.
2. Transformation: Bacteria can intake free-floating DNA from the environment , including fragments from dead or lysed bacteria. This DNA may contain antibiotic-resistance genes.
If integrated into the bacterial chromosome, these genes can equip the bacteria with the ability to produce resistance-conferring proteins, allowing for rapid adaptation.
3. Transduction: Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, can transfer bacterial DNA between cells. During replication, a phage might accidentally package bacterial genes along with its own.
When infecting a new bacterium, the phage injects its genetic material, potentially including antibiotic-resistance genes, into the recipient. This viral ‘taxi service’ facilitates gene acquisition from even distant bacteria.
The constant battle between bacteria and antibiotics is fueled by several factors:
Bacteria possess a clever defense system known as efflux pumps.
These molecular structures function by actively expelling antibiotics from the cell, preventing the drugs from reaching their targets and exerting the antibacterial effects.
Efflux pump activation is a major contributor to drug resistance, particularly in Gram-negative bacteria with their stronger outer membranes.
Increased efflux pump activity can significantly reduce antibiotic effectiveness, highlighting the need for continued research in this area.
For a deeper dive into drug discovery and development solutions, visit InfinixBio.
There is another major challenge in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria: biofilms.
These are communities of bacteria found living together and often encased in a self-produced matrix which acts like a protective shield.
Biofilms act like fortified cities, shielding bacteria from antibiotics and the immune system.
Antibiotics cannot easily penetrate the biofilm matrix, and bacteria within the community can share nutrients and resistance genes, further strengthening the bacterial community and complicating the antibiotic treatment.
New approaches are being explored to overcome biofilm treatments . These include developing drugs that disrupt biofilm formation or enhance antibiotic penetration, alongside the search for novel antibiotics effective against biofilm-dwelling bacteria.
Bacteria can possess an arsenal of enzymes that can break down or alter antibiotics.
Even in harsh environments, bacteria manage to survive and thrive. They achieve this through a remarkable arsenal of survival strategies:
Efflux pumps are protein channels found embedded in the bacterial membrane.
When bacteria encounter antibiotics, they can activate these pumps to actively expel the drugs before they can cause harm.
This increased efflux pump activity can be caused by two main mechanisms:
Bacteria possess enzymes that can break down or alter these drugs. For example, some bacteria produce enzymes that can modify other widely used classes of antibiotics like aminoglycosides, further complicating treatment and highlighting the need for continued research into this area.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat, making infections difficult to treat and putting both individual and public health at risk.
Developing new antibiotics takes time and is expensive, while bacteria can rapidly evolve for resistance. To combat this, a multi-pronged approach is needed.
Antibiotic stewardship programs help to promote the judicious use of antibiotics to combat resistance.
First, they implement guidelines to ensure antibiotics are prescribed only when truly necessary and that too at the right concentrations. This helps in keeping a control on the development of resistance in the first place.
Hospitals, breeding grounds for healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), require a special focus on antibiotic stewardship. These programs empower both doctors, with knowledge of the most effective antibiotics, and patients, who understand when antibiotics aren’t needed, to combat the growing threat of multidrug resistant bacteria.
Finally, stewardship programs utilize surveillance data to track resistance patterns circulating in a particular region. This real–time intel allows doctors to make the most informed treatment decisions for patients.
By promoting the responsible and correct antibiotic use, stewardship programs can help protect patients in this high-risk environment.
While new antibiotics could help to fight against resistance, researchers are exploring a future with alternative treatments:
These, alongside continued research into:
The Pew Charitable Trusts offer insights into why investing in new antibiotics remains critical, even with alternative approaches.
These efforts offer a multi-pronged attack for a future where we can keep these superbugs at bay.
Hospitals and clinics can be battlegrounds for drug-resistant bacteria. To prevent these superbugs from spreading, strict infection control measures are essential. This includes:
Though these measures may seem simple, they are essential in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria. By working together, healthcare providers and patients can create a safer environment for everyone.
The fight against drug-resistant bacteria is a complex one, requiring a coordinated approach.
Antimicrobial stewardship, rigorous infection control, and investment in innovative treatments are all crucial weapons in this battle.
And only through collaboration among researchers, healthcare providers, and policymakers can we win.
If you’re interested in learning more about how a CRO like InfinixBio can help you expand your capabilities, please contact us.
Are There “Superbugs” That Are Resistant To All Antibiotics?
The term “superbug” refers to bacteria with resistance to multiple antibiotics, making infections hard to treat. While there aren’t currently bacteria untreatable by all antibiotics, the emergence of such strains is a growing concern.
Is Antibiotic Resistance A Recent Problem?
No, bacteria have always shown some level of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). However, the widespread use and misuse of antibiotics in recent decades has significantly accelerated the evolution and spread of resistant strains.
What Happens If There Are No Effective Antibiotics Left?
It would be a major worldwide public health crisis. Simple infections could become life-threatening, surgeries and procedures that rely on antibiotics could become too risky.
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