A hospital technician, while doing some routine culturing of microorganisms in a lab, noticed a bacterial colony growing on a culture medium containing three different antibiotics. He identified the bacterium as one that did not cause a human disease, but he still reported his observation to the hospital administration. He was worried because

Options

A. a) he had no way of killing this bacterium now that it was resistant to antibiotics
B. b) resistance to antibiotics could be transferred to disease-causing bacteria by transduction or conjugation
C. c) the bacterium might feed on the antibiotics and, therefore, be able to grow in people taking these antibiotics
D. d) if people accidentally eat contaminated food inside the hospital, they would become resistant to the antibiotic.

Explanation

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Observation of Bacterial Growth**: The hospital technician observed a bacterial colony growing on a culture medium that contained three different antibiotics. This indicates that the bacteria have some level of resistance to these antibiotics.

2. **Identification of the Bacterium**: The technician identified the bacterium as one that does not cause human disease. This means that while the bacterium itself is not harmful, its presence in a hospital environment is still concerning.

3. **Concern About Antibiotic Resistance**: The technician's primary worry stems from the fact that many bacteria are developing resistance to common antibiotics. This resistance can occur through various mechanisms, including genetic mutations and the acquisition of resistance genes from other bacteria.

4. **Mechanisms of Gene Transfer**: Antibiotic resistance can spread through two main mechanisms:
- **Vertical Gene Transfer**: This occurs when bacteria reproduce, passing on their resistance genes to their offspring.
- **Horizontal Gene Transfer**: This involves the transfer of genetic material between bacteria, which can occur through processes such as conjugation (direct transfer between bacteria), transformation (uptake of free DNA), and transduction (transfer via bacteriophages).

5. **Implications of Horizontal Gene Transfer**: The concern is that the antibiotic resistance observed in the non-pathogenic bacterium could potentially be transferred to pathogenic bacteria. This could happen through horizontal gene transfer, making previously treatable infections harder to manage.

6. **Environmental Spread**: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can spread in the environment through air, water, and contact with infected individuals. This increases the risk of resistance genes being introduced into harmful bacteria.

7. **Reporting to Administration**: Given these potential risks, the technician reported the observation to the hospital administration to ensure that appropriate measures could be taken to monitor and control the spread of antibiotic resistance.

**Final Conclusion**: The technician was worried because the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, even if non-pathogenic, poses a risk of transferring resistance to disease-causing bacteria, which could lead to more difficult-to-treat infections.

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