Certain Skin Bacteria can Inhibit Growth of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
Published:28 Nov.2023 Source:UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a growing global problem. Part of the solution may lie in copying the bacteria's own weapons. The research environment in Tromsø has found a new bacteriocin, in a very common skin bacterium. Bacteriocin inhibits the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are often the cause of disease and can be difficult to treat.
The fact that we have medicines against bacterial infections is something many people take for granted. But increasing resistance among bacteria means that more and more antibiotics do not work.
When the bacteria become resistant to the antibiotics we have available, we are left without a treatment option for very common diseases. Over one million people die each year as a result of antibiotic resistance. The first step in developing new antibiotics is to look for substances that inhibit bacterial growth.