3 ms·
> ...the prevalence of these strains of E coli have dropped steeply since China banned the use of colistin as a growth promoter, suggesting that these genes car
by samanator 3y ago
> ...the prevalence of these strains of E coli have dropped steeply since China banned the use of colistin as a growth promoter, suggesting that these genes carry other “fitness disadvantages” for the pathogens.
That sentence seems pretty important but is hardly given any attention. It seems like if we simply stop using the antibiotics then the dangerous strains will die out on their own?
- etiam 3y agoNo. The numbers expressing it drop, but there are often enough advantages in competition situations that the trait stays around and can rapidly recolonize the population. Carrying the genetic material is a slight cost. Expressing it costs more, but that could be made conditional. Furthermore, note that in this case, the point is that the trait also confers resistance to the same type of molecule occurring naturally as part of the innate immune system of animals, meaning that for bacterial species with a large pathogenic component to their lifestyle the resistance retains a fitness advantage in their niche.