Associate Professor Makrina Totsika and PhD student Anthony Verderosa
Eradicating deadly staph using a new breed of antibiotics has revealed promising results in research released by QUT, to help overcome one of the biggest modern medical challenges.
The bacteria attach to medical devices including catheters, artificial joints, implants and patients’ burns and wounds, establishing bacterial biofilms, a leading cause of failing antibiotic therapies and chronic infections.
QUT researchers have developed hybrid antibiotics designed to penetrate the slimy shield protecting invasive golden staph (Staphylococcus aureus) infections.
Led by Associate Professor Makrina Totsika and PhD student Anthony Verderosa (pictured below), the research has been published in top infectious diseases journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
The study found hybrid antibiotics worked well by destroying Staph biofilms grown in the lab.
“Biofilms are a sticky, slimy coating that often prevents conventional antibiotics from accessing bacterial cells,” Mr Verderosa said.
“We have developed a new breed of antibiotic that tricks biofilms into releasing their protected cells allowing access through the protective slimy coating of the biofilm.
“This allows for the biofilms to be eradicated.”
He said the microscopic compound emits a fluorescence signal enabling researchers to watch the drug penetrating the biofilm, either killing the bacteria directly or leaving them susceptible to killing.
Associate Professor Totsika said the majority of infections, even those not associated with an implanted medical device, involve biofilms in some way so the potential for these drugs is wide.
“We are now gearing up to do pre-clinical testing,” she said.
“What is promising is the fact that our compounds are hybrids of drugs that are already in clinical use as stand-alone therapies, such as conventional antibiotics and nitroxides, so this offers hope that they could be translated into clinical therapies in the not so distant future.”
Hospital acquired infections and increasing resistance to antibiotics has challenged medical researchers to find and test novel antimicrobial agents, including alternatives to antibiotics.
The World Health Organisation has identified antibiotic resistant pathogens as one of the “biggest threats to global health today”.
Associate Professor Totsika said there was scope to apply the research beyond medicine, to agriculture, biotechnology and other industries.
Learn more: Researchers develop ‘clever drugs for slimy bugs’ in fight against staph infections
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Hybrid antibiotics
- How long do antibiotics take to work?
IF you've been unlucky enough to pick up an infection, chances are you've been prescribed antibiotics. The life-saving pills are used by millions of people every year, for a whole host of issues.
- How long do antibiotics take to work?
IF you've ever had an infection, then it's likely you may have been prescribed antibiotics. Millions of people are prescribed the medication every year, for a whole host of issues. Antibiotics don ...
- Antibiotic News and Research
As an international study involving University of Gothenburg researchers has shown, a decision tool for health professionals has proved capable of halving the use of antibiotics against urinary ...
- What happens if we run out of antibiotics?
Widespread use of antibiotics in humans and animals has created growing resistance to treatments. What will happen if nothing is done? We asked expert Piotr Garstecki. "With too few antibiotics ...
- Hull KR had concerns over half of Wakefield’s hybrid playing surface
Hull KR head coach Willie Peters retains significant concerns over the hybrid pitch at the Be Well Support Stadium where his side will face Wakefield in the Betfred Super League on Friday. The match ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Hybrid antibiotics
[google_news title=”” keyword=”hybrid antibiotics” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Staph infections
- Destiny Pharma nasal gel results showcased in leading journal
Destiny Pharma PLC (AIM:DEST, OTC:DTTYF), a biotech company, has published research about their new nasal gel called XF-73 in the US journal, ...
- Team develops 2D ultrasound-responsive antibacterial nano-sheets to effectively address bone tissue infection
A research team led by Professor Kelvin Yeung Wai-kwok from the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) ...
- Exploring the complexities of antimicrobial resistance forecasting
Study: Challenges in Forecasting Antimicrobial Resistance. Image Credit: Michael Design / Shutterstock.com. The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. In 2019, about 4.95 mil ...
- How blocking cell wall formation stops bacterial cell division
Researchers still do not understand exactly how antibiotics kill bacteria. However, this understanding is necessary to develop new antibiotics. And that is precisely what is urgently needed, because ...
- Co-infection with MRSA ‘superbug’ could make COVID-19 outcomes even more deadly
Global data shows nearly 10 per cent of severe COVID-19 cases involve a secondary bacterial co-infection – with Staphylococcus aureus, also known as Staph A., being the most common organism ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Staph infections
[google_news title=”” keyword=”staph infections” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
