Antibiotic resistance traits are inherited by the offspring of resistant bacteria. This means that a resistant bacterium, when it divides, will produce two resistant daughter cells. This is what we call ‘vertical transmission’. As mentioned above, antibiotic resistance genes can also be exchanged between bacteria and this is known as ‘horizontal transmission’. Resistant bacteria can spread anywhere: from person to person, from animal to person (and vice versa), through the air or soil, and in our food and water supplies.
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