Microevolution of Biofilms and the Effects on Antibiotic Resistance

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance is a growing field of research due to the fact that bacterial cells are mutating to be able to use different cellular mechanisms, such as the production of biofilms, in order to resist being affected by antibiotics. It is an important field to research because there are already some pathogens that are highly resistant and the overall rate of resistance is rising due to multiple factors. Recent progress includes assessing changes in antibiotic susceptibility by comparing the minimum inhibitory concentration of a broth microdilution assay and a biofilm formation assay from the bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii against both Tetracycline and Ciprofloxacin.  Currently there are many preventative measures in place that are trying to slow the rate of resistance from rising such as WHO’s Global Action Plan on Microbial Resistance; however, these measures will only be able to slow the rate of resistance and will not change the bacteria’s ability to quickly adapt to the changing environments.