4 ms·

>> "...bacteria will stop spending energy on resistance and become vulnerable again." Source?

a-saleh 10y ago
I wish I could have read more than the abstract, but maybe this [1] ... I would especially like to know what do they mean by "Unfortunately, the available data suggest that the rate of reversibility will be slow at the community level" [1] http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v8/n4/pdf/nrmicro2319.pdf http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v8/n4/pdf/nrmicro2319....
- smhost 10y ago
  From that same paper: > In hospitals, both modelling and analysis of the correlations between antibiotic resistance and variation in antibiotic use show that alterations in antibiotic use can cause rapid changes (in the order of days to months) in the frequency of resistance. By contrast, when the fitness cost of resistance is the main driving force behind its reversal, the rate of change is expected to be much slower (months to years). I think what that means is that hospitals are able to create more selective pressure by rotating through different kinds of antibiotics.
kwhitefoot 10y ago
Standard theory of evolution: organisms that spend energy on features that do not contribute to their fitness will be at a disadvantage in the long run compared to others of otherwise similar type that do not. The others will have more energy to devote to reproduction.
- saycheese 10y ago
  Citing notable research might help me better understand your claim; it is very possible that I'm missing something, but that's not how evolution works to my knowledge, adoption of substantially new genetic features is rapid, but refinements or removal of unrelated genetic code is slow if it is not impacted by the substantive mutations. Source: http://www.columbia.edu/~gap2118/papers/nature13827.pdf http://www.columbia.edu/~gap2118/papers/nature13827.pdf
gerbilly 10y ago
Resistant bacteria usually become resistant by giving up a metabolic pathway.

I wish I could have read more than the abstract, but maybe this [1] ... I would especially like to know what do they mean by "Unfortunately, the available data suggest that the rate of reversibility will be slow at the community level" [1] http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v8/n4/pdf/nrmicro2319.pdf http://www.nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v8/n4/pdf/nrmicro2319....

smhost 10y ago
From that same paper: > In hospitals, both modelling and analysis of the correlations between antibiotic resistance and variation in antibiotic use show that alterations in antibiotic use can cause rapid changes (in the order of days to months) in the frequency of resistance. By contrast, when the fitness cost of resistance is the main driving force behind its reversal, the rate of change is expected to be much slower (months to years). I think what that means is that hospitals are able to create more selective pressure by rotating through different kinds of antibiotics.

kwhitefoot 10y ago

Standard theory of evolution: organisms that spend energy on features that do not contribute to their fitness will be at a disadvantage in the long run compared to others of otherwise similar type that do not. The others will have more energy to devote to reproduction.

saycheese 10y ago
Citing notable research might help me better understand your claim; it is very possible that I'm missing something, but that's not how evolution works to my knowledge, adoption of substantially new genetic features is rapid, but refinements or removal of unrelated genetic code is slow if it is not impacted by the substantive mutations. Source: http://www.columbia.edu/~gap2118/papers/nature13827.pdf http://www.columbia.edu/~gap2118/papers/nature13827.pdf

gerbilly 10y ago

Resistant bacteria usually become resistant by giving up a metabolic pathway.