Prokaryotes are widespread on Earth

Pathogens

• STD: Syphilis, gonorrhea, Chlamydia
• Respiratory: Strep throat, pneumonia, whooping cough, tuberculosis, anthrax
• Skin: Acne, boils
• Digestive: Gastroenteritis, food poisoning, cholera
• Nervous: Botulism, tetanus, bacterial meningitis
• Other: Lyme disease, typhoid fever

Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial disease.

• Antibiotics may stop bacterial cell wall formation.

• Antibiotics do not work on viruses.
• Prevention is best method to fight bacterial disease.

Bacteria can evolve resistance to antibiotics.

• A bacterium carries genes for antibiotic resistance on a plasmid.

• A copy of the plasmid is transferred through conjugation.

• Resistance is quickly spread through many bacteria.

• Bacteria are gaining resistance to antibiotics.

• overuse
• underuse
• misuse
• Antibiotics must be used properly.