Antibiotic Resistance Tasmanian Devil's Milk works against multidrug-resistant super-germs

Study: Tasmanian devil milk helps in resistant pathogens
Experts have warned against increasing antibiotic resistance for some time now. The effects could have catastrophic consequences for all humanity. Australian researchers have now discovered that Tasmanian Devil milk may be a promising way to combat so-called multi-drug resistant super germs.

The scientists from Sydney University found in their study that the milk of the aggressive marsupial could in future enable the treatment of multidrug-resistant super-germs. The experts published the results of their study in the scientific journal "Scientific Reports".

Can an aggressive marsupial contribute to someday defeating multidrug-resistant pathogens? Physicians found in an investigation that the milk of Tasmanian devils could actually allow the treatment of resistant strains of bacteria. (Image: Tobias Gueldner / fotolia.com)

Milk of Tasmanian devils acts against resistant pathogens
There are more and more cases of antibiotic resistance in different bacterial strains around the world. Many physicians are trying to develop new classes of antibiotics in the lab. But there are also scientists who are focused on finding the solution to the problem in nature. Australian researchers said after more than three years of research that Tasmanian devil milk could help treat resistant pathogens.

Milk of the Tasmanian Devil offers strong antimicrobial resistance
The Sydney University team worked on sequencing the genome of the Tasmanian Devil. The doctors made a significant discovery. The mothers of the animals nurse their puppies only 21 days. Thereafter, the development of the young animal is continued in the mother's pocket, experts explain. Given the short pregnancy and the knowledge that the pouch of these animals is certainly not a sterile environment, the researchers speculated that the milk of the Tasmanian devils must provide strong antimicrobial resistance.

Tasmanian Devil's milk acts as a natural antibiotic
The scientists finally found out that the milk of the Tasmanian Devil contains six kinds of peptides. These belong to a class called Kathelicidine and act as natural antibiotics. Humans have only one class of peptides, but most marsupials seem to have large amounts. The bodies of opossums contain, for example, twelve types of peptides.

Peptides were found to be effective against all germs tested
The found peptides were artificially replicated and then tested against a variety of germs, the authors explain. Some of these germs pose a great danger to humans. The peptides proved to be effective against all the germs tested. Among the germs tested was Staphylococcus aureus. This bacterium was found in about 30 percent of all people in the nose and mouth. Usually it is harmless. However, the bacteria can be deadly if they get into the bloodstream, the experts explain.

So-called super-pathogens could kill about ten million people a year by 2050
Another bacterial species tested was Enterococcus. Some strains of this bacterium are already resistant to vancomycin. This drug is considered one of the strongest antibiotics in the current arsenal of physicians. An 18-month review of antimicrobial resistance showed that resistant super-pathogens could kill about ten million people a year by 2050, a year ago. This would require the pathogens more deaths than cancer, the doctors say.

The Tasmanian Devil will one day save millions of lives?
It is truly remarkable that this marsupial could someday save millions of lives, even though it is currently on the brink of extinction, the researchers report. In just ten years, about 80 percent of Tasmanian devils have developed a malignant facial cancer, with nearly a 100 percent mortality rate, the researchers explain. Fortunately, some animals today have resistance to the cancer and it seems that the Tasmanian devils are surviving for this reason. (As)