2024-02-19 08:52:00
Many antibiotics no longer work and bacteria are increasingly developing resistance. The consequences are dramatic. It is estimated that 33,000 people die in the EU every year from resistant pathogens. A newly developed active ingredient is a promising success in the fight against multi-resistant germs.
Antibiotics are medications against sometimes life-threatening bacterial infections. In the long term, they could lose their effectiveness if the bacteria “learn” to resist the antibiotics by developing resistance.
According to a report by the European Court of Auditors More than 33,000 people in the EU die every year from infections caused by drug-resistant germs.
Multi-resistant germs: Danger to general health
“Antimicrobial resistance is a serious threat to public health,” one says Report of the European Court of Auditors. So far there is little to suggest that the efforts made to contain resistant germs have been able to reduce the dangers to the population.
Antimicrobial resistance means that microbes such as bacteria, viruses or parasites develop resistance to drugs that previously worked. However, the development of new active ingredients against such multi-resistant germs takes time and progresses more slowly than the bacteria continue to develop.
How does bacterial resistance work?
The resistance of germs – i.e. resistance to drugs – works like this: Many bacteria have now changed their ribosomes – these are so-called macromolecular complexes in cells where bacteria produce their proteins – in such a way that the antibiotics that are used there are no longer as effective works.
This makes the bacteria resistant and, as a result, many of these antibiotics become ineffective. Researchers are therefore trying to develop novel antibiotics whose molecular structure adapts better to different ribosome shapes.
Why could cresomycin be a beacon of hope?
Overview and close-up of cresomycin bound to the bacterial ribosome of the bacterium Thermus thermophilus. Photo: © Yury Polikanov/University of Illinois Chicago
A research team led by Kelvin Wu from Harvard University in Cambridge (a suburb of Boston in the US state of Massachusetts) has now succeeded in producing a new active ingredient – cresomycin (CRM). This antibiotic binds more effectively to the ribosomes of various types of bacteria, according to the scientists in the journal „Science“ to report.
Among the bacteria against which cresomycin is active are the multi-resistant hospital germs of the species Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Staphylococcus aureus in particular is a big problem. This germ colonizes many people and can be found in the nose, for example, without causing diseases. However, in the case of a weakened immune system, the bacterium can cause wound infections and even sepsis (blood poisoning). Many variants of Staphylococcus aureus are resistant to conventional antibiotics.
Are other antibacterial agents being discovered?
The researchers believe “our results bode well for the future discovery of antibacterial agents that are broadly effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.”
Although it is not yet clear whether cresomycin and similar drugs are safe and effective in humans, the results showed “significantly improved inhibitory activity compared to clinically approved drugs against a long list of pathogenic bacterial strains that kill more than a million people each year.” explains one of the authors, Andrew Myers from Harvard University.
Effective only against bacterial infections
Too frequent administration of antibiotics to people or animals is considered to be one of the causes of increasing resistance. At least antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs have recently been used more carefully in animals, according to the Court of Auditors report.
The excessive use of antibiotics in livestock farming has long been criticized. Even in human medicine, an antibiotic is sometimes prescribed unnecessarily – for example, for a cold that is not a bacterial disease. In 90 percent of cases, viruses are the cause of a cold.
The European Court of Auditors calls for drugs to be used more carefully, resistance to be better monitored and research strategies to be strengthened.
Info: Tips for the correct use of antibiotics
regulation
Antibiotics should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor.
dosage
Antibiotics should be taken for as long and in the dosage as prescribed by the doctor.
calcium
Calcium interferes with the effectiveness of some antibiotics. They should therefore not be taken with milk or mineral water rich in calcium. Ideally, you take the tablets with a large glass of water, according to the information brochure from the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists
Stay
Leftover antibiotics should not be saved or taken by patients on their own during the next infection.
disposal
Antibiotics should be disposed of in household waste, but not down the toilet or sink. The disposal of antibiotics via wastewater spreads the substances into the environment and thus promotes the development of resistance. Some pharmacies offer to dispose of leftover medicines as a voluntary service.
Hygiene
Many infections can be avoided through simple hygiene measures. A flu vaccination is also recommended.
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