4 ms·
The hypothesis was that resistance mutations would negatively impact fitness (as mutations usually do), so natural selection would prefer no-resistance once the
by wonnage 5y ago
The hypothesis was that resistance mutations would negatively impact fitness (as mutations usually do), so natural selection would prefer no-resistance once the antibiotics are stopped. But instead it looks like once resistance has evolved it doesn’t go away, suggesting that it comes at no cost to reproductive fitness.
- brazzy 5y agoNot necessarily at no cost - but not at a cost greater than the advantage of having the resistance, which is still massive since the use of antibiotics is not in fact stopped, just reduced.