Which failure mode becomes likely when antibiotic concentrations fluctuate within a biofilm due to interrupted intravenous administration?

💡 Explanation

Interrupted antibiotic administration allows for periods of bacterial survival and growth, which selects for resistant strains. Specifically, the mechanism of efflux pump overexpression allows bacteria to pump out the antibiotic, increasing resistance because cells actively reduce intracellular drug concentration, therefore this failure mode is more likely, rather than decreased capsule production which impacts immune evasion.

• Why does chronic stress often lead to increased appetite despite elevated cortisol levels' expected satiety effects?
• A patient with pulmonary fibrosis has thickened alveolar membranes. Which mechanism explains why their blood oxygen saturation decreases even with supplemental oxygen?
• Which outcome results when C5 convertase dysfunction occurs in a localized infection?
• Which outcome occurs when complement C5a over-activates endothelial cells?
• During hemorrhagic shock, which mechanism explains why blood pressure initially drops sharply but then partially recovers due to widespread vasoconstriction of systemic arterioles?
• A patient with a mutation affecting intestinal copper absorption also exhibits anemia resistant to iron supplementation. Which mechanism explains why iron supplements fail to resolve the anemia?