Researchers at Boston University have reported (Nature) a new adjuvancy effect – the use of sugars to enhance the behavior of (aminoglycoside) antibiotics. Dr James Collins, along with co-researchers Drs. Allison and Brynildsen, all also affiliated with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, as well, went about trying to determine how to kill persistent microbes survive in biofilms. Thinking the bacterial cells were dormant, they considered adding various sugars to the antibiotic mixes. It was hoped the presence of the sugars would “activate” the dormant cells, and, as they were now active, they would be killed off by the antibiotics.
Tag Archives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Say what? IBM is developing antibiotics?
Have you been prescribed antibiotics by your doctor and failed to follow the protocol? Oh, yes, I know, you felt better after a week, so why keep taking the antibiotic? It’s because the bacteria are still in your system, dying off. If you stop the treatment, those microbes can then survive and develop resistance to that antibiotic. After a while, we have created a generation of “superbugs” that are immune to our arsenal of antibacterials. And, that is a real problem.