Another attack on bacterial resistance

2007/10/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Medikuntza

So-called bisphosphonates can prevent bacteria from resisting antibiotics.

The experiment has been conducted in the United States and has managed to unprotect the bacteria E. coli, which causes various diseases against antibiotics.

Every time an antibiotic is taken, the most vulnerable bacteria in the blood die. However, the bacteria that contain any mutation that protects it from this antibiotic is alive. And when this bacteria reproduces, that mutation that protects from the antibiotic extends to other bacteria. In fact, bisphosphonates act on an enzyme that bacteria need to reproduce and prevent proliferation and, therefore, expansion of resistance.

Much remains to be investigated, as they do not know how bisbosfonates eliminate the bacteria, or whether they will have the same effect on the rest of the bacteria. But researchers are hopeful and expect the experiment to contribute to the development of a treatment that eliminates resistance.