Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Found In Four Million-Year-Old Cave

Global Post ^ | 4-12-2012 | Alexander Besant

[blam]

Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Found In Four Million-Year-Old Cave

The bacteria, found in the isolated Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, over 1300 feet below the earth, may hold the secret to understanding drug resistance.

Alexander Besant
April 12, 2012 17:19

Researchers said they discovered ancient bacteria resistant to both natural and synthetic antibiotics while investigating a 4-million-year-old cave in New Mexico.

The finding, may have implications for both the understanding of drug resistance and ways of preventing it.

The scientists involved collected 93 strains of bacteria from Lechuguilla cave, approximately 1300 feet deep, and found that all the strains collected were resistant to at least one antibiotic out of the 26 tested with some resistant to up to 14 different types, reported the Los Angeles Times.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has largely been attributed to overconsumption of the drugs by humans and animals.

Yet, given the age and isolation of the cave, said Time, drug resistance may also have other causes.

“Clinical microbiologists have been perplexed for the longest time. When you bring a new antibiotic into the hospital, resistance inevitably appears shortly thereafter, within months to years,” study leader Gerry Wright, a chemical biologist at McMaster University in Ontario, told National Geographic.

“It’s still a big question: Where is this coming from. Almost no one thought to look at other bacteria, the ones that don’t necessarily cause disease.”

The discovery of antibiotic resistant bacteria in an isolated cave is a major advancement in understanding infectious diseases around the world, reported the Canadian Press.

"The actual source of much of this resistance are harmless bacteria that live in the environment," Wright said.

"This has important clinical implications," Wright said, according to UPI. "It suggests that there are far more antibiotics in the environment that could be found and used to treat currently untreatable infections."

[PastorBooks]

I had MRSA myself — on my legs, back and chest — and it was a hard fight. I don’t mean to pry, but how did they know the MRSA was in your spine? If it travels to the bones, how do you know?

[Maudeen]

Everyone would be wise to look into Silver Sol . . .Silver Sol is an engineered silver nano-particle mineral supplement by American Biotech Labs (gel and liquid). Can’t say enough about its effectiveness. . . even on my little beagle who was mauled by another dog. We have used it for MRSA, etc, etc, etc. Shop around for the best prices. It is not colloidal silver.

[Shadowstrike]

Oh goodie! More stuff that can ‘accidentally’ be released that will kill us.

What fun!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“Those who claim that bacteria is evolving”??

Right there in the article “When you bring a new antibiotic into the hospital, resistance inevitably appears shortly thereafter, within months to years”

[Cyman]

Good, it appears another urban legend has proven false. Now onward to the fallacy of carbon dating.

[Cyman]

Good, it appears another urban legend has proven false. Now onward to the fallacy of carbon dating.

[neverdem]

Bump & please pardon the redundant pings

[Smokin' Joe]

"This has important clinical implications," Wright said, according to UPI. "It suggests that there are far more antibiotics in the environment that could be found and used to treat currently untreatable infections."

So, the essential question is one of whether swabs and samples were checked for natural antibiotics, which might be resisted by the bacteria present, but then again, might have efficacy against pathogens.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks blam. And in the next cave over, bacteria-resistant antibiotics were found! ;') To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[goseminoles]

I had epidural abcesses with mrsa. The last time it was osteomyetisis. All three times required surgery(laminectomy) with an iv pic line for antibiotics.

[goseminoles]

It was 3 times in 3yrs not months.

[wildbill]

No doubt they brought this bacteria out of the cave accidently on their clothes or perhaps in their bodies BEFORE they did tests to determine its lethality.

Now the bacteria is loose in a world without any defenses after a 4,000,000 year sleep.

Remember the stela in “2001, A Space Odyssey?” Here is what it said in the language of an ancient vanished race.

Thank you, distinguished scientists. We know you meant well.

[SunkenCiv]

I probably already contracted it 4 million years ago, during its last epidemic, so I’m immune.

[wildbill]

Well, I’m reasonably certain that Helen Thomas, being from the 4,000,000 BC era herself, is also immune.

What we need to do to save the human species is mate you and Helen to produce a genetic strain that carries the immune gene.

Can you get up for it? Remember this is to save the species.

Why, we could film it and put the film into an honored time capsule so future generations could....could...watch...and...and...

Sorry, I broke down in tears, thinking about your sacrifice,
and couldn’t finish. Maybe some of our friends could carry on the thought in the thread.

[chessplayer]

Researchers said they discovered ancient bacteria resistant to both natural and synthetic antibiotics while investigating a 4-million-year-old cave in New Mexico.

---

Now give us some more tax payer money!!!

[SunkenCiv]

Great, now I’ve got hysterical blindness, my next date could be Helen Thomas, and I wouldn’t even know, except by getting her drunk to see if she starts spewing hatred of the Jews.

[SunkenCiv]

:’) Just because it’s antibiotic resistant doesn’t mean it’s either contagious to humans or lethal.

[MarMema]

Oh ha ha....I love this...