Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics
Using Newly Developed Antibiotics, Non-Antibiotics and Probiotics
A bacterial infection occurs when the single celled microorganism divides to reproduce. In the replication process the bacteria can either elicit an overwhelming immune response from the host that is harmful to the surrounding cells or the bacteria can invade the host’s cells destroying them. Bacterial infections are usually treated by taking a course of antibiotics. However, over the years bacteria have been increasingly developing resistance to antibiotics. This trend is forcing scientists and researchers to find new antibiotic drugs or therapeutic strategies.
Antibiotic Resistance is Caused in Part By Evolution
Antibiotics usually work by either killing the invading bacteria or by preventing the bacterial colonization. Unfortunately over the years of antibiotic use, bacteria have developed drug resistance. This is a natural evolutionary process exuberated by antibiotic overuse and an increase in the frequency of bacterial infections. The drug resistant bacteria continue to proliferate in the absence of an effective drug quickly becoming a new menace.
Developing New Classes of Antibiotics
One way to keep up with the evolving bacteria is to develop new classes of antibiotics. Using specially coated antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), scientists are developing new antibiotics to fight bacterial infections (Eby et al. “Synthesis of Bioinorganic Antimicrobial Peptide Nanoparticles with Potential Therapeutic Properties.” Biomacromolecules, 2008; 9 (9): 2487 Abstract). Antimicrobial peptides are small chains of amino acids that are capable of destroying bacteria and promoting the healing process. The challenge of using these AMPs for therapeutic purposes has been their stability, once ingested they have a short life span and are destroyed in the gut. The researchers have developed a mechanism that allows for the safe transport of the AMPs, which is a step towards new antibiotic therapies.
Looking at Non-Biotic Compounds to Fight Infections
Researchers are also investigating non-antibiotic drugs that would be designed to disable the bacteria’s potency (Zaborin et al. “Red death in Caenorhabditis elegans caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1.” PNAS, March 2009 Abstract.) Researchers discovered that low levels of phosphate triggered certain bacteria to proliferate while the opposite occurred when the bacteria were within an environment that had excess phosphate levels. The study results show promise for phosphate based non-antibiotic drugs.
As the reliance on antibiotic wavers, people are turning to treating bacterial infections proactively by taking probiotics. Probiotics are commonly available as probiotic supplements or dietary supplements. This is however a loosely monitored industry and consumers interested in probiotics should contact their physicians to discuss dependable probiotic options.
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