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Soil Bacteria Show High Resistance to Antibiotics

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the armored-bacteria-testing dept.

Miraba writes "Microbiologists have found that soil-dwelling bacteria are highly resistant to antibiotics, even ones that they've never been exposed to before. While this information suggests that superbugs could arise from these bacteria, it also provides the opportunity for testing new techniques in drug development for the future."

3 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. Another diet change by AndroidCat · · Score: 5, Funny
    Beef is off the list thanks to Mad Cow. No chicken because of the bird flu. No pork because it'll be green and glowing soon. What fish? No genetically modified veggies or grain...

    And now I have to give up eating dirt!

    I guess I'll become a Breatharian...

    --
    One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  2. As someone in Microbiology... by CupBeEmpty · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am not really surprised that soil bacteria are incredibly hardy. Remember that Bacillus anthracis (or Anthrax) is a bacterium that is endemic to soil. It is an incredibly hardy bacterium that can last as a spore in the right conditions for years (literally decades). Bacteria that live in the soil live in a hostile environment, to which they will develop methods of immunity. If a bacteria can live in soil, which is a hostile environment then one might guess that the same bacteria could handle the relatively "easy-to-live-in" human body. It is also interesting to note that many of our antibiotics are derivied from organisms that fight off bacterial infection. These same organims are prevalent in the soil. I am not sure what the big surprise is here?

  3. This just in! by Millenniumman · · Score: 5, Funny

    Studies have shown that eating dirt is, in fact, unhealthy.

    --
    Stupidity is like nuclear power, it can be used for good or evil. And you don't want to get any on you.