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Possible Antibiotic for MRSA Superbug

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the supersquishing-the-superbug dept.

darkmeridian writes "Merck has discovered a possible treatment for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, a virulent superbug resistant to many current antibiotics. The new compound, platensimycin, was found in a sample of South African soil and works by preventing the bacteria from assembling fatty acids into its cell membrane. This mechanism of action is novel among antibiotics, most of which currently block DNA assembly or protein assembly. Of course, this product still has to undergo human testing, but apparently looks promising."

1 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. A cure you say? by racecarj · · Score: 1, Redundant

    This post is a little too late. The cure for MRSA is vancomycin, which you'll find in every hospital everywhere. Nowadays, in some areas, up to 70% of s. aureus is resistant to methicillin, and vanco is used impirically. 10 years from now everything will be MRSA. That's no problem... it's VRSA that you've got to worry about.