It’s no blarney when I tell you that ancient Irish soil may contain the key to more powerful antibiotics in the future.  Folk medicine has identified regions of Ireland, the Boho Highlands, where the soil is known to have medicinal properties.  

 

Microbiologists from Swansea University, Wales, have identified a novel strain of bacteria in that soil that produces secretions which effectively kill 4 of the 6 most common currently antibiotic-resistant bacteria including MRSA, enterococci, klebsiella, and acinetobacter.  This new strain of Strepomyces bacterium is unique since it kills a wide variety of pathogens, both gram positive and gram negative.

Work is now ongoing to identify and purify the chemical byproducts of this bacterium that can be artificially synthesized and repurposed as prescription antibiotics.

Luciana Terra, Paul J. Dyson, Matthew D. Hitchings, Liam Thomas, Alyaa Abdelhameed, Ibrahim M. Banat, Salvatore A. Gazze, Dušica Vujaklija, Paul D. Facey, Lewis W. Francis, Gerry A. Quinn. A Novel Alkaliphilic Streptomyces Inhibits ESKAPE Pathogens. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2018; 9 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02458

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/UA0QUVhAU6M

#resistance  #antibiotic  #ireland   #superbug  #radionews #soil