One quarter of bacterial pathogens can spread antibiotic resistance directly to peers

Biomedical engineers have demonstrated that at least 25 percent of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria found in clinical settings are capable of spreading their resistance directly to other bacteria. At the same time, the study shows that, despite common beliefs, the use of antibiotics does not significantly affect the rate at which the genes responsible for resistance are swapped between bacteria.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2OrGhtg