Antibiotic Resistance Archives

Cooperation between Bacteria and Viruses: New Tools Emerging from This Duo

There are approximately the same number of bacterial cells in our bodies as human cells (Sender et al, 2016). These microorganisms help us with many of our own functions and, through billions of years of co-evolution, we have formed a symbiotic relationship. We provide a suitable environment for the bacteria and, in return, they help to process nutrients and many other activities in our bodies. The bacteria undergo constant evolution to further improve their fitness (their ability to grow and reproduce). This has caused a great strain on our healthcare system, as this evolution has led to the spread of harmful things, like antibiotic resistance.

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Sifting through the Dirt: Latest Discoveries in Today’s Headlines

A team of researchers from the United Kingdom and Croatia recently published its paper announcing the isolation and discovery of a new species of bacteria that inhibits the growth of ‘superbugs.’ The work isolated bacteria within the Streptomyces genus that thrives in alkaline (highly basic) environments (Terra et al, 2018). This genus is attributed with producing many of the antibiotics that we currently use today, and thus researchers think that there is a treasure trove of more antibiotics within different subspecies. Streptomyces sp. myrophorea, isolate McG1 was isolated from a soil sample in Ireland and was shown to be both extremely tolerant of alkaline environments and able to flourish after exposure to high doses of radiation.

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Antidepressants Are Now Linked to Antibiotic Resistance

It seems like everyone knows that antibiotic resistance is the next big thing, and researchers from around the globe are looking to find its causes. Now, it’s time to add antidepressants to the list. This latest research is from the same group in Queensland that showed the link between triclosan use and antibiotic resistance. Led by Dr. Guo of the Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC) at the University of Queensland, the researchers looked into fluoxetine, which is marketed commercially as Prozac. The study was published in the most recent edition of Environmental International.