Biological Evolution Of MRSA

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Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a bacteria resistant to all antibiotics containing penicillin. MRSA otherwise known as a superbug has been produced through the process of natural selection inside hospitals, which provide the perfect environment for this bacteria to thrive in. Bacteria like MRSA are hard to treat as there are fewer antibiotics to treat it therefore increasing its deadliness. The antimicrobial resistance in MRSA is genetically based, meaning that it can spread its immunity amongst other bacteria by horizontal gene transfer. MRSA is a bacteria that can withstand antibiotics containing penicillins.
Evolution
Biological Evolution is the process of change and modification …show more content…

Methicillin was originally introduced in 1959 to combat infections that were caused by PRSA otherwise known as Penicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. During 1961 it was discovered in the United Kingdom that Staphylococcus Aureus had mutated to become resistant to methicillin. This bacteria was now called MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus). MRSA was soon known to have spread or developed in other countries such as Japan, Australia, United States and some countries within mainland Europe. MRSA today has spread into many countries and becoming more infectious within hospitals, which as previously mentioned, are perfect breeding grounds for …show more content…

For a bacteria to evolve in this case to become resistant to methicillin, there must be a large population of the bacteria. In a large population of bacteria there will be different types of genes which have different traits. In a sustained environment the genes within the bacteria are quite diverse and different, making evolution quite a lengthy process. This all changes when an environmental pressure comes into effect. In this case antibiotics were used to kill off the bacteria. Almost all the bacteria die except for the ones that have previously mutated to include resistance against this certain antibiotic. Having all bacteria vulnerable to the antibiotic destroyed, means only the resistant bacteria are able to reproduce, so as a result their offspring inheriting the same genetic resistance. Over a lengthened period almost all of the bacteria within the environment become