Researchers at the Karolinska Institute have found a way that could make antibiotics combat resistant bacteria, reports SVT News.
A new study at KI has now shown that mice infected with penicillin-resistant pneumococci and suffering from meningitis became completely healthy after receiving antibiotics in combination with the enzyme endolysin. The enzyme, which comes from bacteriophages, i.e. viruses that kill bacteria, made the antibiotic start working again. The researchers' hope is now that in the future, they will be able to use the method to treat meningitis in humans as well.
Patienterna behöver få effektiv behandling inom max två dagar, annars uppstår allvarliga neurologiska komplikationer eller till och med död, säger Federico Iovinos, docent i medicinsk mikrobiologi vid KI, till SVT.
The researchers will now investigate the effect of endolysin on several different types of resistant bacteria.
