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Alexander Fleming anticipated that bacteria would quickly become resistant to penicillin.
Beyond the clinic, an even larger volume of antibiotics is consumed within the agricultural industry. Worldwide, massive quantities of critically important antimicrobials are administered to livestock, poultry, and farmed fish. Crucially, these drugs are not used simply to treat sick animals; instead, they are mixed into daily feed at low doses as growth promoters and preventative measures against the crowded, unsanitary conditions characteristic of factory farming. This industrial-scale bathing of livestock in low-dose antibiotics creates an ideal breeding ground for resistant strains. These superbugs subsequently enter the human food chain through contaminated meat products, runoff into local water supplies, or direct contact between agricultural workers and livestock.
"Developing a new antibiotic is a notoriously high-risk, low-reward venture... As a result, major drug companies have largely abandoned antibiotic research..."
Paragraph B defines horizontal gene transfer as a process "whereby one bacterium passes on the resistance gene from another without even needing to be its parent". Crucially, these drugs are not used simply to
A description of how farming practices contribute to environmental contamination.
Paragraph G outlines necessary global strategies, such as enforcing regulations, utilizing a "One Health" approach, investing in diagnostics, and running public education campaigns. 8. NOT GIVEN
Alexander Fleming intentionally engineered the first antibiotic to target surgical infections.
The problem extends far beyond hospitals and clinics. Nationally and globally, vast quantities of antibiotics are funneled into agriculture. In intensive farming operations, low doses of antibiotics are regularly mixed into animal feed, not to treat sickness, but to promote faster growth and prevent infections in cramped, unhygienic conditions. The drug-resistant bacteria bred in these livestock then enter the human food chain through contaminated meat, water, and soil, creating a massive, invisible loop of transmission. Paragraph E "Developing a new antibiotic is a notoriously high-risk,
The primary catalyst behind this accelerating crisis is the profound misuse and overuse of antibiotics worldwide. In human medicine, patients frequently demand antibiotics for viral infections like the common cold or influenza, against which these drugs are completely ineffective. Healthcare providers often prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics prematurely due to diagnostic uncertainty or pressure from patients. Furthermore, in many developing nations, potent antibiotics are sold over the counter without a prescription. This lack of regulation allows untrained individuals to self-medicate, frequently using incorrect dosages or failing to complete the full course of treatment, which creates ideal conditions for resistance to develop.
The text explicitly states that companies are abandoning research due to low rewards, directly contradicting the claim of high profit margins.
Antibiotic resistance is a complex, accelerating crisis requiring coordinated global action across health care, agriculture, industry, and governments. Without sustained investment in stewardship, surveillance, sanitation, and new treatments, the world risks a return to an era where minor infections and routine medical procedures can become life-threatening.
Beyond human medicine, the agricultural sector bears massive responsibility for the acceleration of AMR. Globally, more antibiotics are consumed by livestock than by humans. In intensive farming, animals are routinely fed low doses of antibiotics, not to treat illness, but to promote growth and prevent infections in cramped, unhygienic conditions. This low-dose exposure acts as an evolutionary training ground for bacteria. These superbugs eventually leave the farms, contaminating local water supplies, soil, and the food chain, eventually infecting human populations. leading to longer hospital stays
A primary driver of this crisis is the inappropriate prescription of antibiotics in human healthcare. Patients frequently demand antibiotics for viral infections, like the common cold or flu, against which the drugs are entirely ineffective. When antibiotics are used unnecessarily, or when a course is not completed, the weakest bacteria die while the most resilient survive and multiply. These resistant strains can then spread through communities, making routine surgeries and minor injuries potentially life-threatening once again.
The test often pairs passage terms with synonymous phrases in the questions. For instance, "livestock farming" in the questions maps to "agriculture" and "animal feed" in paragraph D.
Infections become harder to treat, leading to longer hospital stays, higher medical costs, and increased mortality rates.
The Growing Global Threat of Antibiotic Resistance: A Deep Dive into IELTS Reading Contexts