new antibiotic possibility

[Guest guest]

I hope this works out!

Sue

Upstate New York

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http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025525.800-superbugs-slain-by-

soil-antibiotic.html

Superbugs slain by soil antibiotic

From issue 2552 of New Scientist magazine, 17 May 2006, page 22

HOSPITAL superbugs beware. Soil bacteria from South Africa have yielded

an antibiotic that kills usually immune bacteria.

Platensimycin, derived from the soil bacterium Streptomyces platensis,

is the first antibiotic to kill bacteria by preventing them from making

vital fatty acids. Mice that were infected with methicillin-resistant

Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci - two

of the most common hospital superbugs - were cured without apparent

side effects (Nature, vol 441, p 358).

This is a great opportunity for the development of critically needed

antibiotics, says Jun Wang, who discovered the substance at Merck

Research Labs in Rahway, New Jersey.

[Guest guest]

this is very hopeful news. Wonder if it's i.v. or oral? penny <rhbailey@...> wrote: I hope this works out!Sue Upstate New York=============================http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19025525.800-superbugs-slain-by- soil-antibiotic.htmlSuperbugs slain by soil antibioticFrom issue 2552 of New Scientist magazine, 17 May 2006, page 22HOSPITAL superbugs beware. Soil bacteria from South Africa have yielded an antibiotic that kills usually immune bacteria.Platensimycin, derived from the soil bacterium Streptomyces platensis, is the first antibiotic to kill bacteria by preventing them from making vital

fatty acids. Mice that were infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci - two of the most common hospital superbugs - were cured without apparent side effects (Nature, vol 441, p 358).This is a great opportunity for the development of critically needed antibiotics, says Jun Wang, who discovered the substance at Merck Research Labs in Rahway, New Jersey.