New Antibiotic Beats Superbugs At Their Own Game

ScienceDaily ^ | July 7, 2008

[Soliton]

Never before has an antibiotic been tested this way. "In the history of antibiotic development, an antibiotic arrives on the scene, and sooner or later resistant bacteria emerge," Tomasz says. "We sought to test in advance which would win this particular chess game: the new drug, or the bacteria that now cause human deaths."

Ceftobiprole won. "It just knocked out the cells 100 percent,"

[EarthBound]

Seconded. I would rank finding cures for viruses, a working quantum computer, instantaneous information transfer, and oh, say FTL travel (wishful thinking) to upset this title in the future.

[js1138]

Bacteria will eventually beat this one also, if medical practice doesn’t change. Not to mention the mischief that will be caused by wiping out all the gut flora.

Interesting times ahead.

[from occupied ga]

Now if they could only find an effective agent against the fast-spreading RINOvirus

They have.

[RegulatorCountry]

What they need to do is come up with a Virus-cide that works.. So far bupkis..

The problem is that a virus isn't really "alive" to kill, it's just bits of DNA that "reprogram" living cells to reproduce itself. So, we're stuck with trying to block them from entering cells, or trying to block replication once they're in cells.

[scooter2]

Ohhhh but what about the poooor liddle bacterias?!? Don’t they have a right to exist in our eco-structure without being murdered by the genocidal scientists who think it’s ok to just wipe out bacteria without even ASKING them how they feel about it?

Sounds like something PETA would put out, doesn't it.

[RegulatorCountry]

Not to mention the mischief that will be caused by wiping out all the gut flora.

I've tried to avoid taking antibiotics unless absolutely necessary, because of this. I've had to eat live culture yogurt for weeks before, to get over the effects.

[js1138]

I just recovered from eight months of the runs after a dose of antibiotics. This is tricky stuff. There are apparently ways to repopulate your gut, but they aren’t considerd unless you are nearly dead.

If Super-antibiotics become common, we’ll need to rethink all this.

[aft_lizard]

I’ll take a Gram of whatever you are having.

[DManA]

Bacteria will eventually beat this one also - not if it kill 100%

Not to mention the mischief that will be caused by wiping out all the gut flora.

Yea, I wonder exactly how broad this broad-spectrum antibiotic really is? Too broad, not too practical.

[mkjessup]

Sounds like something PETA would put out, doesn't it.

Even as we speak, PETA is coordinating with BLF (Bacteria Liberation Front) strike teams who will be liberating the oppressed germs from their petrie dishes in that horrible torture center run by depraved scientists who care not one whit for the many bacterial families who will grieve the loss of their loved ones.

[js1138]

not if it kill 100%

Maybe it does this in the lab, but I doubt it will hit this in the field.

[scooter2]

That’s absolutely funny. Thanks for the morning chuckle.

[Rammer]

So how did MRSA treat you?

I do a lot of grappling (Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and submission wrestling) and picked it up off the mats.

I had a little pimple thing next to my knee that was nothing. A week later my entire leg was swollen and red and an ER doc was cutting a hole in my leg to drain it running an IV of antibiotics. It was not a fun experience at all.

[mkjessup]

You have a sick sense of humanity to have a kindred soul with such a kind person and you comparison of Kennedy with Reagan is absolutely outrageous! Did you say your prayers for Pol Pot too?

As Christians we have been instructed by no less than Jesus Christ Himself that we should pray for those who persecute us, for those who do evil, for our enemies and adversaries, that all might obtain Salvation and Eternal Life.

[mkjessup]

That’s absolutely funny. Thanks for the morning chuckle.

My pleasure FRiend! I'll be here all week, try the veal! :))

[hosepipe]

[ So, we're stuck with trying to block them from entering cells, or trying to block replication once they're in cells. ]

I don't believe "its hopeless" is a good tactic.. Since nothing has been found to combat them.. thats what it seems your saying.. How do PLANTS deal with viruses?.. Surely SOME plant has outwitted them?..

[RegulatorCountry]

I’m not saying that it’s hopeless. I’m just noting the particular challenge that creating an effective antiviral faces. It’s difficult to “kill” something that is not alive in any classical sense, until it coopts a cell in order to reproduce.

[usmcobra]

Mine was similar only someone that shouldn't have been in my work area used my stuff to wipe down his open sores.

I thought I had gangrene, and had never heard of MRSA. I suppose that if I had waited any longer I would have ended up in a hospital.

[Jeff Chandler]

A Blessing For Ted Kennedy:

May God bless and keep the Senator... far away from us!

[heartwood]

It’s a cephalosporin and the bacteria will eventually get a handle on it as they have on others in its class. But for now...death to staph!