Bacterial isolates from post surgical infections of several patients on the same hospital floor demonstrate an increase in resistance to similar antibiotics.The pattern of antibiotic resistance in these cases is most likely due to vertical gene transfer among bacteria that carry resistance genes to bacteria that lack those genes.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The pattern described is most likely due to horizontal gene transfer, where resistance genes are transferred between bacteria of the same generation, often through mechanisms like conjugation, transformation, or transduction, rather than vertical gene transfer, which involves the passing of genes from parent organisms to their offspring.

Bacterial Isolates from Post Surgical Infections of Several Patients on the Same