Part F - Effects of antimicrobials on the normal microbiota Taking oral antibiot

Question

Part F - Effects of antimicrobials on the normal microbiota

Taking oral antibiotics can damage the normal human gut microbiota and increase growth of pathogens. Could something similar occur when topical antibiotics are used on skin?

Choose all correct answers.

Choose all correct answers.

Yes, because the normal microbiota help to prevent colonization by pathogenic species No, because antibiotics used on the skin are less toxic than those taken orally No, because antibiotics only target harmful species and do not harm the normal microbiota No, because antibiotics do not penetrate the skin, and skin microbes live beneath the upper layers of the epidermis Yes, because the antibiotics may encourage the growth of antibiotic-resistant species Yes, because the microbial communities on the skin and in the gut are very similar in composition

Explanation / Answer

Yes, because the normal microbiota help to prevent colonization by pathogenic species

Yes, because the antibiotics may encourage the growth of antibiotic-resistant species

Normal flora of the skin and other body parts compete with the pathogens for food and space and restrict their growth under normal healthy conditions. Use of antibiotics may destroy the normal flora and enable the pathogenic species to spread. Moreover, resistant strains always exist in the nature due to mutations. If suspectible cells are killed, the resistant strains multiply at a faster pace due to lack of competition and occupy the entire population.

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