SUPERBUGSSUPERBUGSAn intro to bacteria, An intro to bacteria,

infectious diseases, and infectious diseases, and antibiotic resistanceantibiotic resistance

What are What are bacteria?bacteria?

SingleSingle-celled organisms-celled organisms

ProkaryotesProkaryotes:: genetic material genetic material NOT contained in a nucleusNOT contained in a nucleus

AutoAuto-trophs and -trophs and heterohetero--trophstrophs

How abundant are How abundant are bacteria?bacteria?

Bacterial AbundanceTotal bacteria on Earth 5 x

1030

Number of stars in the universe

7 x 1022

Age of the universe in seconds

4.4 x 1017

Bacteria in the human gut 1 x 1014

Global gross product ($/year)

7 x 1013

Cells in the human body 1 x 1013

Texts sent in 2009 1.5 x 1012

People on Earth 6.9 x 109

10X

All about All about bacteria…bacteria…

HelpHelp make yogurt, cheese, make yogurt, cheese, & wine& wine

Involved in Involved in environmental environmental recyclingrecycling andand clean-upclean-up

How many types How many types of bacteria are of bacteria are

there?there?Bacterial Distribution

Insect Species 1-10 million

Bacterial species in the soil 4 millionBacterial species in the air 4 million

Bacterial species in the ocean 2 millionBird Species 10,000

Bacterial species in the human mouth

600

Bacterial Species in the human gut

500

Pathogenic Species 55

Infectious Infectious DiseasesDiseases

PathogenPathogen: a biological agent : a biological agent that causes diseasethat causes disease

Can be a virus, bacteria, fungi, Can be a virus, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, or parasiteprotozoa, or parasite

Infectious diseases are Infectious diseases are communicablecommunicable or or transmissibletransmissible from one person to anotherfrom one person to another

Virus: Influenza (H1N1)

Fungi: Plant pathogen

(Rigidoporus laetus)

Protist: Malaria

(Plasmodium)

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Salmonella typhimurium

Staph Infection: Staphylococcus aureus

AntibioticsAntibiotics

Compounds that Compounds that killkill bacteria bacteria or or inhibit their inhibit their growthgrowth

Naturally produced by Naturally produced by microorganismsmicroorganisms to kill othersto kill others

Now many are made Now many are made syntheticallysynthetically

AntibioticsAntibiotics

Susceptible vs. ResistantSusceptible vs. Resistant

Clearing

Lawn

Antibiotic

Why is Why is resistance bad?resistance bad?Because you can’t treat Because you can’t treat the disease!the disease!

The patient will remain The patient will remain sick sick

How do you get How do you get resistance?resistance?

Usually from Usually from mutationmutation in in DNADNA

Genetic mutations can be Genetic mutations can be passed to offspring…passed to offspring…

Leads to Leads to evolutionevolution!!

Genetic Mutatio

n

NATURAL SELECTION!

Susceptible

+ Antibiotic

Antibiotic Resistant

What can you do What can you do to help?to help?

Follow the Follow the directions!directions!

Take Take antibiotics antibiotics only when only when necessarynecessary