Antibiotics transformed modern medicine, yet the bacteria they target are constantly adapting, and resistance now poses a growing challenge to healthcare worldwide.Antibiotics transformed modern medicine, yet the bacteria they target are constantly adapting, and resistance now poses a growing challenge to healthcare worldwide. This book examines how that resistance develops, spreads, and persists, tracing the biological mechanisms behind bacterial survival and the human factors that accelerate the process. You will learn how genetic mutation and horizontal gene transfer allow bacteria to withstand treatments once considered effective, and how overuse and misuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture have hastened this development. The book also explores the consequences for public health, the limitations of current drug development, and the scientific strategies being pursued to address the problem. Generated with the help of artificial intelligence and reviewed for accuracy, this book offers a clear, factual introduction to a subject that touches on biology, medicine, and public policy alike, providing you with a solid foundation for understanding one of the pressing issues in modern healthcare.Antibiotics transformed modern medicine, yet the bacteria they target are constantly adapting, and resistance now poses a growing challenge to healthcare worldwide. This book examines how that resistance develops, spreads, and persists, tracing the biological mechanisms behind bacterial survival and the human factors that accelerate the process. You will learn how genetic mutation and horizontal gene transfer allow bacteria to withstand treatments once considered effective, and how overuse and misuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture have hastened this development. The book also explores the consequences for public health, the limitations of current drug development, and the scientific strategies being pursued to address the problem. Generated with the help of artificial intelligence and reviewed for accuracy, this book offers a clear, factual introduction to a subject that touches on biology, medicine, and public policy alike, providing you with a solid foundation for understanding one of the pressing issues in modern healthcare.