Researchers Antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains already existed before the dinosaurs

Physicians look for the origins of so-called super-exciters
Many hospitals around the world have problems with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In recent years, such cases have continued to increase. Researchers now found that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are not a novel problem. There were such bacteria strains before the dinosaurs populated our world.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that antibiotic-resistant enterococci have existed for more than 450 million years. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Cell".

There are bacterial strains that are resistant to antibiotics. Especially in hospitals such resistant bacterial strains are a very big danger for the patients. Researchers are now looking for the origins of these bacteria. (Image: CrazyCloud / fotolia.com)

How have enterococci changed over time??
By analyzing the genomes and behaviors of today's enterococci, we were able to turn the clock back to its earliest time of existence, say the experts. This allowed the scientists to get an idea of ​​how these organisms have changed over time, explains author Dr. Ashlee Earl.

Researchers are trying to better understand the adaptation of microbes to their environment
An understanding of how the environment affects microbes and how to adapt to new properties may lead to a better understanding of the emergence of resistance of bacterial strains. It helps to better understand how microbes adapt to the use of antibiotics, antimicrobial hand soaps, disinfectants and other products, adds the author.

Bacteria have been around for about four billion years
According to the researchers, bacteria were created about four billion years ago. After the animals appeared in the oceans about 542 million years ago, bacteria in and around the animals learned to survive, explain the physicians. But when the animals finally went ashore and evolved, they took the microbes with them.

Natural resistance of enterococci
The researchers found that all types of enterococci were naturally resistant to drought, hunger, disinfectants and multiple antibiotics. The bacteria are particularly dangerous in a sterile hospital environment, say the experts.

How did these bacteria get out of the water??
The bacteria were found in the gut of a majority of land animals. This suggests that they probably also existed in the intestine of dinosaurs and the first centipede-like organism and thus reached land. After comparing the genomes of these bacteria, the scientists believe that this theory is true. The researchers also discovered that a new type of enterococcus appeared every time a new species of animal appeared or when a new type of animal emerged. This effect was also observed when new species of animals emerged after a mass extinction.

Experts hope to develop special antibiotics against enterococci
Antibiotic-resistant microbes are becoming an increasingly critical global health threat. Scientists are therefore looking for ways to combat these so-called super-pathogens. The aim of the current research is to develop new types of antibiotics and disinfectants especially for the removal of enterococci, explains author Dr. med. Francois Lebreton. (As)