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Super Bug

Antibiotics and Evolution

By Kristy J. Wilson

Super Bug


 

Abstract

Sam, a pre-med college student, routinely gets dialysis and develops a urinary tract infection. The infection is from a bacterium that the news media is calling a "superbug" from India. Sam does some internet searches to find out more information about his condition. He examines popular news stories, primary literature, and considers what the United States should do about the increased prevalence of antibiotic resistance. To explore this issue, students form groups in which they are a politician, a parent, or a doctor, with each student bringing different information to the discussion. The case also discusses evolutionary principles and how they connect to antibiotic resistance. The case was developed for an introductory biology course taken by science majors who are not majoring in biology. It could be used in any introductory biology course or even as an introduction for a specific course on evolution.

   

Date Posted

07/11/2011

Overview

Objectives

  • To demonstrate proficiency in the interpretation of graphs and/or charts.
  • To be able to apply evolutionary principles to a real-world scenario.
  • To be able to relate evolution to genetic changes and to predict what kind of genetic changes impact evolution.
  • To be able analyze and discuss genetic diversity and its impact on evolution, and to predict what would happen to species without diversity.

Keywords

Antibiotics; evolution; superbug, infectious disease; DNA; mutation; plasmid; urinary tract infection; UTI; E. coli; Escherichia coli; bacteria; New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase-1; NDM; NDM-1

  

Subject Headings

Biology (General)
Evolutionary Biology
Genetics / Heredity
Medicine (General)
Microbiology
Nursing
Public Health

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

Undergraduate lower division, Undergraduate upper division

  

FORMAT

PDF

   

TOPICAL AREAS

Policy issues, Science and the media

   

LANGUAGE

English

   

TYPE/METHODS

Analysis (Issues), Discussion, Interrupted, Journal Article, Role-Play

 

 

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