Updated 13 August 2020 at 19:46 IST
Researchers discover a new way to reverse antibiotic resistance in some bacteria
In a stunning discovery, Researchers in Singapore have found a way to reverse antibody resistance in bacteria only by using Hydrogen Sulfide.
In a stunning discovery, Researchers in Singapore have found a way to reverse antibody resistance in bacteria. Drug-Resistant diseases like MRSA, VRE etc have been a cause of global concerns for decades. As per data by the World Health Organization, such diseases could push up to 24 million people into extreme poverty and also give a strong blow to the world economy.
The study which was conducted by researchers from Singapore –MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) found a way to reverse antibiotic resistance in some bacteria, that is by using hydrogen sulfide (H2S). For the purpose of the study, SMART’s Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) added H2S releasing compounds to Acinetobacter baumannii - a pathogenic bacteria that do not produce H2S on its own.
'Could be generalised to all'
Following the research, they found that rather than causing antibiotic tolerance, exogenous H2S sensitized the A. baumannii to multiple antibiotic classes. Another interesting thing that they found was that the hydrogen sulfide even reversed acquired resistance in A. baumannii to gentamicin. Gentamicin is a common antibiotic used to treat several types of infections. Though the research was only conducted in A. baumannii, the reserchers are of the opinion that it might be generalized to all bacteria types.
“This is a very exciting discovery because we are the first to show that H2S can, in fact, improve sensitivity to antibiotics and even reverse antibiotic resistance in bacteria that do not naturally produce the agent,” Wilfried Moreira, the corresponding author of the paper and Principal Investigator at SMART’s IRG said.
Published By : Riya Baibhawi
Published On: 13 August 2020 at 19:46 IST