Researchers at Umeå University have developed a new substance that could be the start of development of a new type of antibiotic. The idea is that it could be used against resistant bacteria – and so-called killer bacteria.
– Now things are starting to tickle, we could develop a completely new antibiotic class, says Fredrik Almqvist, professor of organic chemistry at Umeå University.
Magnus Hellmansson in Tranås got a small wound on his foot in May, a few days later he had a high fever and pain in his whole leg.
– I had gotten staphylococcus into the wound and got rose fever. I quickly got worse and then received antibiotics via drip at the hospital, he says. If the antibiotics hadn’t worked, he could have died of blood poisoning.
New substance that has shown good results
Some staphylococci and invasive streptococci can cause serious infections with a rapid course. In Umeå, researchers together with two research groups at the University of Washington led by Scott Hultgren and Michael Caparon have found a new substance, GmPcide, which has been shown to be effective on mice with difficult-to-control bacteria.
– We have seen that it has an effect on bacteria such as staphylococci, streptococci and enterococci, so now things are starting to tickle – we could develop a completely new class of antibiotics, says Fredrik Almqvist, professor of organic chemistry at Umeå University.
Can stop killer bacteria
The study focused on a particular pathogen that causes 500,000 deaths each year globally, including flesh-eating disease. Mice infected with the pathogen and treated with GmPcide fared better than untreated animals in almost every respect.
As for so-called killer bacteria, they increased in Sweden last year from 374 cases to 1,323. Up to and including the month of July this year, 1,059 cases have been reported.
But even if the research group’s results are good when it comes to these severe infections, Fredrik Almqvist believes that there is a larger patient group that would benefit from new antibiotics.
– It is exciting that bacteria can cause a healthy person to die in just a few days, but a new variant of antibiotics would be even more important for all cancer patients, says Fredrik Almqvist.
Take symptoms seriously
Magnus Hellmansson has learned that a small wound can have serious consequences. And he advises everyone to wash their wounds and take symptoms such as pain and high fever seriously and seek medical attention quickly.
– I am eternally grateful that I received antibiotics, otherwise I would not have made it, he says.