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New Antibiotic Mined from Human Gut Reverses Drug Resistance in Superbugs

  • October 24, 2016

In a super attempt to fight superbugs that have become resistant to the strongest antibiotics, researchers have found a possible fix in a most unusual spot: your gut. As proof of gut-bugs’ potential, scientists dug up a new bacteria-busting drug that can reverse resistance in pathogens and help kill off methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, ArsTechnica reports.

With antibiotic resistance growing faster than research can contain it, it’s important to know what promotes this resistance, and what we can do to beat it. Part of the drug resistance problem is a result of decades' worth of antibiotic misuse. Unfortunately, agriculture accounts for 80 percent of all antibiotics used in the U.S., and it’s the continuous use of low dose antibiotics that permits bacteria to survive and become increasingly hardy and drug resistant

Another piece of the puzzle is bacteria's ability to share genetic material outside of the procreative process. Scientists recently discovered a bacterial gene (called mcr-1) that can spread among different bacteria with remarkable ease, conferring resistance to the strongest antibiotics in our medical arsenal.

A proactive approach to curbing the spread of antibiotic resistance includes using antibiotics only when absolutely necessary; never using antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers; properly washing your hands with warm water and plain soap; and by purchasing organic, antibiotic-free meats and other foods.

Buying your food from responsible, high-quality and sustainable sources is your best bet, and I strongly encourage you to support the small family farms in your area.