Health officials worldwide are concerned about antibiotic resistance in bacteria that cause disease. In patients infected with nonresistant strains of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, antibiotics can relieve symptoms in a few weeks. However, it takes much longer to halt the infection, and patients may discontinue treatment while bacteria are still present. How can bacteria quickly cause symptoms again if they are not wiped out? How might this result in the evolution of drug-resistant pathogens?
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Bacteria are living things. In being living things bacteria are able to adapt and conform to their environment. When an antibody is introduced to kill the bacteria the bacteria becomes exposed to the antibody and can now recognize it. If the individual does not finish his/her prescription there could possibly be bacteria left in the body. The bacteria can then once again start multiplying and cause symptoms to reappear. Since the bacteria has been exposed to the antibody it will have a better chance of resisting the antibody. Thus an antibody resistant bacteria could develop.
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