A2: Microbes in the News – Human nasal bacteria might be superbug killer

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Human nasal bacteria might be superbug killer

Source: CNN   https://www.cnn.com/2016/07/28/health/nasal-bacteria-superbug-killer/

Date Published: 7/28/16

Summary: Researchers from the University of Tubingen in Germany discovered a bacterium in our nose that could help in fighting pathogens. The bacteria they found is Staphylococcus lugdunensis which can produce a chemical called lugdunin. Lugdunin is bactericidal against major pathogens and is not prone to developing a resistance in the pathogens that it kills.

Connection: We just got done talking about antibiotics and how it’s common for pathogens to develop a resistance to antibiotics. So it’s interesting that this bacterium produces a chemical that makes it where pathogens can’t develop some sort of resistance or protecting. Studying this bacterium may even help researchers now in developing a way to prevent pathogens from developing a resistance to antibiotics in the future.

Critical Analysis: What I found the most interesting about this article is that because so many pathogens are developing a resistance to current antibiotics Andreas Peschel, a researcher who authored the study, predicts that in ten years, more people will die of diseases caused by resistant bacteria than cancer. I also wish the article went more in depth about the study and how the researchers discovered this bacterium.

Question: How or why are the targeted pathogens not prone to developing a resistance to lugdunin?

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I am a biology major at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. When it comes to biology, my interests lean more towards the medical profession and the human body. After undergrad, my goal is to go to medical school and work my way to becoming a pediatrician.

1 Comment for “A2: Microbes in the News – Human nasal bacteria might be superbug killer”

mtkadenhoffmann

says:

It is a wonder that we haven’t found this antibiotic before. I wonder if this discovery has anything to do with the increase in research about the human microbiome. As to how bacteria don’t develop resistance to lugdunin from what I could find it has to do with how lugdunin attacks the cellular membrane. However since we don’t yet understand the pathway we can’t say for sure. Bellow is a link you might find interesting.
https://www.nature.com/news/the-nose-knows-how-to-kill-mrsa-1.20339