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Scientists Find New Way To Destroy Anthrax

Posted by michael on from the when-lysol-isn't-available dept.

t0rnt0pieces writes "Yahoo news is reporting a story about how scientists have discovered a new way to combat the anthrax bacteria, even if the strain is drug resistant. The method uses an enzyme from bacteriophages, virii which attack bacteria. The scientists say that this method could even be adapted to combat other virii. This truly looks to be a fantastic breakthrough in the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections."

2 of 70 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Antiviral medications... by JabberWokky · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Oh, they exist, certainly, but from the day you get a virus, to the day you die, that virus potentially inhabits your body. Generally you have the acute phase (with one, Chicken Pox, in another, a low grade flu like experience), and then later a secondary reaction (Chicken Pox leads to shingles, and that low grade flu is from HIV, which leads to AIDS). Viruses stick around. Basically, while there are antiviral medications that aim to slow the replication of viral bodies, they don't cure, and they don't affect the long term effects of viral infection. Much like a diamond, herpies is forever.

    Basically, what you call antivirals really just lessen aspects of the viruses life cycle in the body. I'm not aware of anything that can actually "cure", i.e., remove a virus, from a host. I've long since ceased following the medical publications, though - there may be cutting edge research that has had some nice breakthroughs, but I haven't heard of any, and I follow the general medical press with quite an interest, followinug the interesing bits back to the source.

    --
    Evan (no reference, but I almost put in a bit about Captain Trips)

    --
    "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
  2. Tomato! tomah-to. by capnjack41 · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Ok ok, I'll let the "virii" slide, even though it is "viruses" (to be honest, I wasn't sure myself). That issue's been beaten to death anyway!

    What's interesting to note is that, in addition to fighting the anthrax itself, this method is also useful in detecting the spores (below is a snippet of the article which wasn't mentioned in the article summary...it's all in the yahoo! article link):

    Fischetti said that the enzyme had another potential use: detection of small numbers of anthrax spores. When PlyG destroys an anthrax bacterium, the cell releases a substance that can be detected with the help of a fluorescent agent and a hand-held device.