Antibacterial drug resistance is a name that microbiologists fear the most. Resistance is not a joke but a looming threat of war with bacteria. "Resistance" literally means the ability to not be affected by something, and in this case, it refers to bacteria being unaffected by antibacterial drugs. These drugs were created for the sole purpose of killing bacteria and stopping their growth. However, resistant bacteria—pathogenic disasters—can literally destroy the world and everyone living in it. Since bacteria are known for causing serious infections if left untreated, the emergence of more resistant strains could turn simple diseases into life-threatening conditions.

Resistance to drugs occurs when bacteria take in the drug, analyze its components, and then prepare a "safety mechanism" to activate when the same antibacterial drug is encountered. However, this process often means the death of the drug-analyzing bacteria, but the resistance is passed on to future generations of the same species. It's also possible that other bacterial species may acquire this resistance.

Causes of Resistance

Resistance occurs due to several factors:

• Excessive use of antibacterial drugs
• Taking antibacterial drugs without properly diagnosing the illness
• Not completing the prescribed treatment course
• Contaminating hospital environments with small quantities of antibacterial drugs

These are key reasons for bacteria developing resistance and passing it on to other generations or species.

Mechanisms of Resistance

There are two main mechanisms by which bacteria attain resistance: the genetic basis of resistance and the non-genetic basis of resistance. The genetic basis includes chromosome-mediated resistance, plasmid-mediated resistance, and transposon-mediated resistance. The non-genetic basis includes cases where antibiotics cannot reach the bacteria due to barriers, bacteria are insensitive during their resting state, or bacteria form biofilms that are highly tolerant to antibiotics.

Genetic Basis of Resistance

The genetic basis of resistance is especially concerning because it involves the bacterial genetic system. Once bacteria have analyzed a drug, they make changes in their chromosomes, leading to mutations such as adding new genes, removing genes, or modifying existing genes. These mutations can affect drug targets, transport systems, or produce enzymes that cleave the drug, reducing its efficacy.

Plasmid-mediated resistance is particularly dangerous. Plasmids can transfer resistance to other bacterial species and provide resistance to multiple drugs. They have a high transfer rate, usually through conjugation, allowing resistant factors to spread across species or be picked up from dead bacteria in the environment.

Combating Antibacterial Resistance

As bacteria with drug-resistant genes multiply, they become highly pathogenic and harder to treat. To prevent resistance, doctors use antibiotic sensitivity testing to determine which antibiotics will be effective against specific bacteria, thereby reducing the chances of resistance. New generations of antibacterial drugs are also developed, either by adding new components or by combining antibiotics to make bacteria susceptible to at least one of them.

Preventing resistance requires responsible antibiotic use. Patients must only take antibiotics as prescribed by a doctor, complete their treatment course, and avoid stopping it prematurely. In this way, we can fight against resistant bacteria before they start fighting us.