New antibiotic in severe infections

New antibiotics kill off stubborn infections

14/11/2013

Conventional antibiotics usually do not help anymore to completely kill bacteria. Some pathogens go into a kind of hibernation and are not detected and survive by conventional antibiotics. This promotes the development of chronic infections that are difficult to treat.

A newly discovered drug recently discovered by researchers from Northeastern University in Boston, USA, could help in the future. This new antibiotic not only completely eliminates pathogens, but also makes it more difficult to develop resistant bacteria. By activating a protein-splitting enzyme inside the bacteria, a kind of self-destruction is triggered. The pathogens virtually eat themselves up.

In experiments with mice infected with staphylococci, a complete recovery was shown, the biologists reported in the journal „Nature“. The newly gained knowledge could be introduced positively even with persistent fungal infections.

Resistance complicates treatments
„The ability to quickly and completely eliminate an infection will help prevent the spread of resistant pathogens“, writes Kim Lewis, co-author of the study.

From tonsillitis to tuberculosis - antibiotics are used in medicine in a number of diseases. For a long time, increasing resistance of the bacteria to antibiotics has been observed with concern. According to experts, around 25,000 people in Europe die of resistant germs each year. This is because antibiotics are too often prescribed and bacteria can develop the dangerous resistance. But also the continuous use in livestock husbandry and animal mast contributes to its part. The newly discovered discovery now gives hope in the treatment of persistent infectious diseases. (Fr)

Picture: Gerd Altmann, Pixelio