Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance

Gene Transfer

Credit: NIAID

Diagram showing how gene transfer facilitates the spread of drug resistance. Bacteria multiply by the billions. Bacteria that have drug resistant DNA may transfer a copy of these genes to other bacteria. Non-resistant bacteria recieve the new DNA and become resistant to drugs. In the presence of drugs, only drug-resistant bacteria survive. The drug resistant bacteria multiply and thrive.

Go to the illustration: What is Drug Resistance?
Go to the illustration: Mutation Causes Drug Resistance

Go back to: Cause of Antimicrobial (Drug) Resistance