A new antibiotic developed by a Flinders
University researcher is being heralded as a breakthrough in the war against a
drug resistant superbug.
Bacteria are winning the fight against antibiotics as they evolve to
fight off traditional treatments, threatening decades of advancements in modern
medicine, with predictions they will kill over 10 million people by 2050.
The scientific development of new, effective and safe antibiotics is
crucial in addressing the ever-growing threat posed by drug resistant bacteria
around the world.
Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a
potentially deadly infection in the large intestine most common in people who
need to take antibiotics for a long period of time, particularly in Australia's
ageing population.
Dr Ramiz Boulos, adjunct research associate at Flinders University
and CEO of Boulos & Cooper Pharmaceuticsals, says the fact CDI is becoming
resistant to traditional antibiotics is alarming and highlights the need to
develop more effective treatments.
"Cases of CDI disease are rising and the strains are becoming
more lethal. If there is an imbalance in your intestines it can begin to grow
and release toxins that attack the lining of the intestines which leads to
symptoms," says Dr Boulos.
Over the past ten years, various strains of C. difficile have
emerged, and are associated with outbreaks of severe infections worldwide. One
particular strain is easily transmitted between people and has been responsible
for large outbreaks in hospitals in the United States and Europe.
"It's concerning when you consider CDI is one of the most
common infections acquired during hospital visits in the Western hemisphere,
and the most likely cause of diarrhea for patients and staff in
hospitals."
But when doses of a new antibiotic called Ramizol were given to
hamsters infected with a lethal dose of the bacteria, a significant proportion
of hamsters survived the infection.
In a recent safety study in rats evaluating the effect of repeated
exposure of the antibiotic, no rats experienced serious side effects or changes
in weight.
"Our research indicates Ramizol is an extremely well-tolerated
antibiotic in rats, with good microbiology and antioxidant properties. It also
has high chemical stability and is scalable because of the low cost of
manufacturing, which could make it a viable treatment option."
Forty-eight rats were given a high dose of a new class of antibiotic
for 14 days to assess its safety.
Source:
Flinders University
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