Antibiotic Resistance Lab
Name: ___________________________________
Date/Lab Time: _________________
Goal: Your goal for today is to understand the problem of increasing antibiotic resistance in
pathogenic (disease causing) bacteria. Many resistant bacteria are now present in hospitals.
These bacteria can cause hospital-acquired infections in patients.
Part A: Answer the following questions about Antibiotic Resistance.
1) What are the dangers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to humans? What is happening to our
most potent antibiotics?
2) Will we ever get rid of bacteria? Why would we not want to get rid of bacteria?
3) What was the first antibiotic, who discovered it and how? Describe the history of this famous
antibiotic?
4) Why are antibiotics used on farms? What role may agriculture and farms have played in the
development of antibiotic resistant bacteria?
5) Why should you take an antibiotic for the full time the doctor recommends? What can happen
if you don’t?
6) What is the problem with increased use of antibacterial household products?
Part B: Use the American Lung Association website ( www.lungusa.org ) and World Health
Organization (http://www.who.int/tb/areas-of-work/drug-resistant-tb/xdr-tb-faq/en/) to
investigate Tuberculosis. Pay particular attention to Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis
(XDR TB).
1) What is the cause of tuberculosis, how is it transmitted and what are the symptoms of
tuberculosis?
Cause:
Transmission:
Symptoms:
2) What is the test for tuberculosis?
3) How is tuberculosis treated by antibiotics? What can happen if antibiotic treatments for TB
are mismanaged (i.e. taken for too short a time or in too low a dose…)?
4) Describe XDR TB and explain why health care professionals are so concerned about it. How
does someone develop XDR TB?