Antibiotics and Resistance Genes: Influencing the Microbial Ecosystem in the Gut (Mini-Review)

The normal flora of human gastrointestinal tract (GIT) bacterial have many roles in human health, most of
which are beneficial or neutral for the host. The intestinal bacteria play a significant role of being
traffickers in antibiotics which supports the hypothesis that intestinal bacterial not only exchange
resistance genes among themselves but might also interact with bacteria that are passing through the
colon, causing these bacteria to acquire and transmit antibiotic resistance genes. The human
gastrointestinal tract is a massive reservoir of bacteria with a potential for both receiving and transferring
antibiotic resistance genes. The increased use of fermented food products and probiotics, as food
supplements and health promoting products containing massive amounts of bacteria acting as either
donors and/or recipient of antibiotic resistance genes in the human gastrointestinal tract, also contributes
to the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains.