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

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?