: Pharmaceutical companies often prioritize drugs for chronic conditions over antibiotics because they are more profitable.
The crisis, however, extends far beyond the walls of human hospitals. In terms of sheer volume, the agricultural sector represents the largest consumer of antimicrobials worldwide. In intensive livestock farming, animals are routinely fed sub-therapeutic doses of antibiotics, not to treat diagnosed illnesses, but to promote rapid physical growth and prevent infections from tearing through overcrowded, unsanitary barns. This agricultural deluge allows resistant bacteria to flourish in animal guts, which then contaminate the human food chain through raw meat, agricultural runoff, and localized soil pollution. Despite regulatory pushback from bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO), global agricultural dependency on these drugs remains stubbornly high.
Done at random or without careful judgement (e.g., drug use). The ability to produce a desired or intended result. 🛠️ Common Question Types Matching Headings:
Found in Paragraph B: "...transfer resistance genes directly to a lethal human pathogen..." (Note: singular or plural fits contextually, but the passage states "pathogen"). In intensive livestock farming, animals are routinely fed
: The process of bacteria sharing resistance genes. Curative : Healing or medicinal effects.
Bacteria have the ability to pass resistance genes to entirely different species of bacteria.
An explanation of how resistant traits can be transferred between different species of bacteria. Done at random or without careful judgement (e
Bacteria are incredibly resilient, adaptive organisms. When exposed to an antibiotic, the weakest bacteria are eliminated, but those with genetic mutations that allow them to survive endure. These surviving "superbugs" multiply and pass on their resistant traits to their offspring. More alarming still is a process called horizontal gene transfer, where bacteria share resistance genes directly with neighboring microbes of entirely different species. What was once a rare evolutionary anomaly has now become a standard survival mechanism for bacteria worldwide. Paragraph C
of antibiotics leads to the production of resistant bacterial strains. Key Themes to Remember Causes of Resistance
: Paragraph E closes with the sentence: "As a direct result, almost all major pharmaceutical conglomerates have completely abandoned their antimicrobial research pipelines." "Pharmaceutical conglomerates" matches "pharmaceutical giants," and "abandoned" matches "stopped trying to find and develop." 13. Answer: NOT GIVEN the weakest bacteria are eliminated
(Justification: Paragraph B explicitly details "horizontal gene transfer, where bacteria share resistance genes directly with neighboring microbes.")
Paragraph D contradicts this by stating that "Rather than treating sick animals, subtherapeutic doses are routinely mixed into animal feed" to promote faster growth and prevent diseases.