Bacterial-Resistance to Antibiotics /Hendrowahjono Soejoedi

Seameo-Tropmed Institute for Medical Research. Diploma in Medical Microbiology. October 1981 - March 1982

References : Pages 53-70.

The well known and enormous ability of micro-organisms to adapt themselves to new conditions of life has been a frequent cause of complications in bacteriological studies. The adaptability of microorganisms to environment is, at a glance, greater then that of higher organisms, no doubt owing to their higher reproduction-rate and their unicelluler condition. This phenomenon has been known since the time when drugs active against micro-organisms were first discovered, and now certain well-established methods of chemotherapy seem to be threatened by it. Various mechanisms have been proposed to account for drug adaptation. In order to classify these theories it is important to consider whether they assume that change leading to an inheritable state of resistance occurs before or after contact with the drug.