Antibiotic resistance is one of the most serious emerging health problems in the world today. More than 70 percent of disease-causing bacteria are resistant to at least one of the currently available antibiotics. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one such bacterium and is responsible for many hospital-acquired infections. In people with pre-existing conditions such as cystic fibrosis (CF), P. aeruginosa can cause persistent lung infections. CF is a genetic disease in which some membrane transport molecules do not function. In the lungs, this leads to hardened mucus that makes it difficult for gas exchange and mucus that can also harbor bacteria such as P. aeuruginosa . Typically, these bacteria would be captured and ingested, before they become established, by a type of phagocyte called a(n) __________.

Question

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Macrophages are a type of phagocyte that play a crucial role in the immune system by ingesting and digesting pathogens, including bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, before they can establish infections.

Antibiotic Resistance Is One of the Most Serious Emerging Health