Because of constant use of disinfectants, a hospital is a place where only the fittest microbes survive, a dilemma that raises the stakes of even routine surgical procedures. This program looks at how germs develop partial or total antibiotic resistance and how researchers are pursuing new lines of attack to keep pace with these highly adaptive organisms. Computer imaging and electron microscopy help illustrate how Legionella bacteria adapt to harsh environments. The program concludes by looking at promising research into symbiotic mechanisms in sea sponges that can repel antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus. A Deutsche Welle Production. (26 minutes)