UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

Antibiotics were produced to treat and prevent infections caused by pathogens such as bacteria. They are known to be one of the most significant medical breakthroughs in the history of medicine. Antibiotic resistance occurs when pathogens can survive against antibiotics. One key issue that leads to increased resistance is the overuse and improper use of antimicrobial drugs. As a society, it is important to look towards antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs anduse them with advice from public health officials that can allow us to use the strength of antibiotics if an infection ever does arise. Another reason antibiotic resistance is a prominent issue is due to the various mechanisms pathogens have to spread genetic information in a process known as horizontal gene transfer. Horizontal gene transfer is the transfer of genetic information between organisms and allows for resistant pathogens to spread their resistant traits leading to an increase in resistant organisms. Currently, the best thing to do is spread awareness, learn about the mechanisms that spread it such as horizontal gene transfer, and learn how to continue to battle this issue.