But antibiotics destroy bacteria, not viruses. Others rearrange their outer wall so drugs cannot penetrate. Bacteria share their trade secrets by passing genetic information that holds the key to drug resistance among each other. These packets of vital information, called plasmids, are easily passed among bacteria of different species. That's why hospitals, with an array of germs in close quarters, are hotbeds for drug resistance.
Drug companies find it increasingly difficult to design new and improved drugs.
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