Stomach flu or gastroenteritis is caused by a contagious virus. Learn about stomach flu symptoms and home remedies to relieve dehydration and diarrhea. Stomach flu or gastroenteritis is caused by a contagious virus. Learn about stomach flu symptoms and home remedies to relieve dehydration and diarrhea.
Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria to resist the effects of an antibiotic â that is, the bacteria are not killed, and their growth is not stopped. Resistant bacteria survive exposure to the antibiotic and continue to multiply in the body, potentially causing more harm and spreading to other animals or people.
How do bacteria become resistant? Some bacteria are naturally resistant to certain types of antibiotics. However, bacteria may also become resistant in two ways: 1) by a genetic mutation or 2) by acquiring resistance from another bacterium. Mutations, rare spontaneous changes of the bacteria's genetic material, are thought to occur in about one in one million to one in ten million cells.