Changes

There is controversy over the best policies to keep drug-resistant strains in check. In the 1940s the medical profession began lobbying to make antibiotics available only through prescription to prevent overuse, and educating doctors to be prudent in prescribing them. However, antibiotics are widely added to livestock feed to prevent infection and promote growth, and critics charge that the practice has encouraged the emergence of resistant strains, a charge which the agribusiness industry and the USDA deny.

There is controversy over the best policies to keep drug-resistant strains in check. In the 1940s the medical profession began lobbying to make antibiotics available only through prescription to prevent overuse, and educating doctors to be prudent in prescribing them. However, antibiotics are widely added to livestock feed to prevent infection and promote growth, and critics charge that the practice has encouraged the emergence of resistant strains, a charge which the agribusiness industry and the USDA deny.

    

    

The mechanism by which drug resistance emerges was studied by Luria and Delbrück in 1943 and by Lederburg and Lederburg in 1952. Further work established that streptomycin resistance emerges as the result of point mutations, at a rate of about one per billion cells, while isoniazid resistance has a mutation rate of one per million. Mainstream textbooks treat this as established science,<ref>''Zinsser Microbiology,'' 1968, pp. 163-167, Appleton-Century-Crofts, Library of Congress 68-8386</ref> and supporters of the Darwinian theory of evolution often cite it as an example of rapid evolution.<ref name=fda/> Creationists dispute this interpretation.{{fact}}  Some acknowledge the general correctness of the traditional explanation but argue that it is not analogous to speciation in higher organisms and has no relevance to the evolution of macroorganisms.  

The mechanism by which drug resistance emerges was studied by Luria and Delbrück in 1943 and by Lederburg and Lederburg in 1952. Further work established that streptomycin resistance emerges as the result of point mutations, at a rate of about one per billion cells, while isoniazid resistance has a mutation rate of one per million.  

Drug resistance also arises in viruses. For example, the anti-flu drug Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) was only introduced in the year 2000, and did not receive widespread use until 2004; yet in 2007, type B influenza infections resistant to the drug were observed in Japan.<ref>Johnson, Carla K (2007), "Strain of flu shows resistance to drugs; Findings in Japan trouble scientists", Associated Press, ''The Boston Globe,'' April 4, 2007</ref>

Drug resistance also arises in viruses. For example, the anti-flu drug Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) was only introduced in the year 2000, and did not receive widespread use until 2004; yet in 2007, type B influenza infections resistant to the drug were observed in Japan.<ref>Johnson, Carla K (2007), "Strain of flu shows resistance to drugs; Findings in Japan trouble scientists", Associated Press, ''The Boston Globe,'' April 4, 2007</ref>