How the Next Super Bug Might Be Defeated by Your Nose

by ParentCo. July 28, 2016

One potential answer to the growing problem of antibiotic resistant infections may have been right under our noses all along—or rather, in them. ...researchers from the University of Tübingen in Germany identified a nose-dwelling bacteria capable of producing a compound that can kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as the superbug MRSA... Antibiotics...revolutionized the way we treat bacterial infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea. Over the years, some bacteria have evolved to withstand these treatments... MRSA infections have become a growing problem; from 2003 to 2008, the number of cases reported (paywall) in hospitals grew from about 21 cases per 1,000 visits to 42 per 1,000. One of these benign bacteria, called Staphylococcus lugdunensis, lives in our nose and produces a chemical called lugdunin that researchers believe might have antibiotic properties. The researchers hope that lugdunin will be a powerful new antibiotic that can be used preventatively for patients with compromised immune systems...

Source: The first antibiotic found in the human microbiome could be a new way to treat MRSA super bugs — Quartz

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