The Evolution of Bacteria and Disease By: Kaitlin Taylor

Introduction Bacteria has been around forever When penicillin was discovered, it was a medical miracle Penicillin vanquished WW2’s biggest killer-bacterial infected wounds 4 yrs. later, suddenly microbes could resist penicillin..

Why was this happening? Well evolution of course!! Bacteria has variations, we know evolution likes variation.. Bacterial variants have evolved to resist antibiotics More bacteria have evolved, and now there are things like “super bugs”

How do antibiotics work? Penicillin kills bacteria by attaching to the cell wall Part of the cell wall is destroyed, and the cell will die Penicillin can also affect the ribosome's of a bacterial cell

How does Antibiotic Resistance Work? Let’s look at some biology… Antibiotic Resistance happens in 3 ways:

Antibiotic Resistance Cont’d… 1) In spontaneous DNA mutation, bacterial DNA may mutate sporadically

Antibiotic Resistance Cont’d… 2) Transformation process where one bacterium takes the DNA of another

Antibiotic Resistance Cont’d… Plasmid DNA flicking from one bacterium to another… This one is the scariest form.

Other reasons bacteria become resistant.. Societal factors too.. Inappropriate drug use Transmission of disease Sometimes we don’t need antibiotics!

How can we solve this problem? Limit the use of antibiotics Fight evolution with.. Evolution! Example: Cholera Theoretical Example: AIDS It’s hard to say for certain….

Conclusion This evolutionary science is still in its early stages We need to be more careful with antibiotics!!!! Using public health measures can help too

Thank you. .