worse, many bacteria have specialized transpons called integrons, which act like flypaper when catching new genes (3).These mutations, no matter what process that has led to their occurrence, block the action of antibiotics by interfering with their mechanism of action (1). Currently, antibiotics attack bacteria through one of two mechanisms. In both mechanisms the antibiotic enters the microbe and interferes with production of the components needed to form new bacterial cells. Some antibiotics act on the cell membrane, causing increased permeability and leakage of cell contents. Other antibiotics interfere with protein synthesis in cells. They block one or more of the steps involved in the transformation of nucleic acids into proteins.Any mutation that would prevent the action of antibiotics, but not at the same time provide a selective advantage to the bacteria, would be one that interfered with the bacterias ability to reproduce. If this were to occur, then any selective advantage would be negated by the cells inability to take advantage of the diminished competition caused by the death of susceptible bacteria. This would be likely to occur in reaction to an antibiotic that interfered with protein synthesis, since it would also impact on the chain of reactions that occurs in the transformation of DNA to ribosomes and RNA and eventually the proteins necessary for the fission or reproductive process to occur.If one were able to control all the variables, there is no reason to believe that certain bacteria would be more likely to mutate to resistant forms than others. It is normally not the type of organism that dictates its propensity towards mutation. This is normally dictated by the variables or changes in the bacterias immediate environment.The advantages of using multiple antibiotics in combination are as follows: for broad coverage in a very sick patient who has an infection of unknown etiology, to prevent the emergence ...
