Hydrophobic ingredients in combination with obsolete antibiotics can counter multidrug-resistant bacteria

Source: The post is based on the article “Hydrophobic ingredients in combination with obsolete antibiotics can counter multidrug-resistant bacteria” published in PIB on 21st July 2022.

What is the News?

Scientists have come up with a new approach to revitalizing the efficacy of existing antibiotics to counter the rising menace of multidrug-resistant bacteria. 

The problem of Antimicrobial Resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is emerging as one of the biggest health problems worldwide resulting in an increasing number of complicated infections that are untreatable. 

For example, WHO has demarcated Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacteriaceae, all of which are resistant to carbapenems (an antibiotic) as the topmost priority critical pathogens. 

This has triggered the use of combinations of various antibiotics to treat such complicated infections. 

Hence, there was a need to develop novel therapeutic strategies to combat these multidrug-resistant pathogens.

What is the new approach developed by scientists?

Scientists have used adjuvants in combination with existing antibiotics like fusidic acid, minocycline, and rifampicin. 

This combination inactivated multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, including the above-mentioned three critical pathogens.

Note: An adjuvant is an ingredient used in some vaccines that helps create a stronger immune response in people receiving the vaccine. In other words, adjuvants help vaccines work better.

What is the significance of this development?

This novel approach will enable the existing antibiotics to be used again for treating complicated bacterial infections.