Stopping the "Superbugs"

     Scientists have found a new way to fight infection. Instead of simply destroying the bacteria, we take away their ability to transfer resistance to drugs.

     Germs hide together until they have high enough number in the body to start an attack. During this time they sit quietly and transfer immunity. To do this, two bacteria join together, form a tunnel through their plasma membranes, and the drug resistant bacteria send strands of DNA, which are captured by the normal one and is then produced, to make the normal one resistant.

      Scientists found that certain osteoporosis drugs act as a chemical decoy for a strand of E. coli. The chemicals disrupt the drug resistant bacteria's ability to send the DNA. When it tries the tunnel won't form and the drug resistant bacterium is left with unstable DNA which causes it to die.

     Scientists hope to use this technique on "superbugs", such as resistant staph bacteria and others. They are trying virtually every compound known to us that could have an effect, even bone building drugs.

By Matt Thorn

Based on an article in the Tupelo Daily Journal.