Researchers discovered a way for bacteria to bypass antibiotic treatment.
The troublesome ability of Bacteria to develop resistance against antibiotics can be attributed to its bacteriophage. Health threats are rapidly increasing. This ability has ancient originsAllows for drug-resistant bacterial infections such as MRSAAnd GonorrheaTo kill 1.3 Million people worldwide each year.
These superbugs are even being introduced to wild animals. Such as dolphinsAnd Bears.
Shifting microbes can be a problem Copy genes from one anotherIdentifying and quickly passing on antibiotic resistant tactics. Strategies include inactivating antibiotics, preventing them from building up in their bodies, or changing the targets of antibiotics so they cease to be effective.
We are grateful in part for Overuse of antibioticsSuperbugs have developed multiple resistance tactics that make them very difficult to treat.
“This new type of resistance is not detectable under the conditions used in pathology labs, making it difficult for clinicians prescribe antibiotics that will effective treat the infection. This could lead to poor outcomes or even premature death.” This is how it worksTimothy Barnett is a Telethon Kids Institute infectious-disease researcher.
This new mechanism was discovered by Kalindu Rodrigo, Telethon Kids Institute microbiologist, and his colleagues while researching how Group A StreptococcusResponds to antibiotics
This bacteria is often responsible for sore throats and skin infection, but it can also cause systemic infections like scarlet fever. FeverThe toxic shock syndrome.
“Bacteria must make their folates in order to grow and cause disease. Antibiotics can be used to block the folate production and stop bacteria growth. This explains Barnett.
“When we looked at an antibiotic used to treat skin infections of Group A Strep, we discovered a mechanism that allowed the bacteria to absorb folates from its host, even though they were not producing them.”
So Streptococcus It has been acquiring folate from other cells, and these molecules are abundant in the body.
This method completely avoids the action of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole which inhibits folate synthesis in bacteria.
Rodrigo and the team found at least one gene that was involved: thfT. It encodes a part of folate harvesting system. This is similar to our own as we can’t produce folate, and must obtain it from food.
StreptococcusThis gene has been found to allow bacteria to subvert sulfamethoxazole and suckup folate.
In the lab, group A StreptococcusBecause it doesn’t have any other source of folate, it will succumb to the sulfamethoxazole-based antibiotics.
This means that bacteria can only be resistant to antibiotics if they are causing an infection in our bodies. This means that there is no way to detect antibiotic resistance in pathology labs.
This suggests that antibiotic resistance may be more diverse than previously thought. It also highlights the importance of establishing a policy. MoreDifferent TreatmentsAntibacterial.
frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen>
“Unfortunately, we suspect this is just the tip of the iceberg – we have identified this mechanism in Group A Strep, but it’s likely it will be a broader issue across other bacterial pathogens,” “ Barnett.
This is the first step to understanding these mechanisms and being able test them and counter them You can also prescribe other types of antibiotics.
“It is crucial that we remain one step ahead of the challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance. As researchers, we should continue to investigate how resistance develops within pathogens, and then design accurate diagnostic methods and therapeutics.” Encouragement Rodrigo.
This research was published in Nature Communications.
