Evolution and Antibiotic and Pesticide Resistance
When people go to the doctor's office, they expect to be
cured. They don't like to be told, "Go home, drink lots of fluids and
rest, and you will get better." They want a more proactive approach.
Often, doctors prescribe antibiotics just to make their patients happy, even if
the antibiotics cannot treat the illness at hand. As a result, antibiotics
become more prevalent, the microbes they attack are more likely to develop
resistance, and over time the antibiotics become ineffective. Learn about why
some diseases have become antibiotic-resistant and how you can help address the
problem.
Misuse
of Antibiotics
1. View "Why DoesEvolution Matter Now?" Travel inside a Russian prison to see the impact of
evolution on the lives of the inmates and the surrounding community. This video
describes the transmission of tuberculosis and the evolution of multiple drug-resistant
strains of TB.
2. Answer the following questions about the video segment on a separate sheet of paper:
Why is the Russian prison system considered to be
"ground zero" in the fight against TB?
What is responsible for the evolution of TB strains that are
resistant to multiple drugs?
How does the misuse of antibiotics affect the evolution of
disease-causing bacteria? Use the theory of natural selection to explain the
growing resistance to antibiotics.
Why should we care about a resistant strain of TB in Russia?
When you finish this activity, click on the PBS video link below and view those you are interested in.
PBS Evolution links
When you finish this activity, click on the PBS video link below and view those you are interested in.
PBS Evolution links
