Backfire effect

Biological Parallel

Antibiotic exposure can trigger stress-induced mutagenesis in bacteria, paradoxically increasing mutation rates rather than suppressing them. When faced with DNA-damaging antibiotics, bacteria activate error-prone DNA repair polymerases that generate more genetic diversity—the selective pressure meant to eliminate them instead accelerates their evolutionary exploration. This 'backfire' mechanism has enabled pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa to evolve resistance within individual patient infections.