Scientists might have come up with a new way to treat bacterial infections without antibiotics, according to CBS News. The treatment has only been tested in mice with sepsis, but it suggests promising breakthroughs in the face of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, like staph, strep, C. difficile and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Researchers from the University of Bern in Switzerland engineered nanoparticles made of lipids (liposomes) that act as decoys for toxins, according to a study published in Nature Biotechnology. The liposomes isolate and neutralize the toxins, thus rendering the bacteria defenseless from the host's immune system.
"We have made an irresistible bait for bacterial toxins," study author Eduard Babiychuk said, according to CBS News. "The toxins are fatally attracted to the liposomes, and once they are attached, they can be eliminated easily without danger for the host cells."
"Since the bacteria are not targeted directly, the liposomes do not promote the development of bacterial resistance," study author Annette Draeger explained, according to CBS News.
In another study, published in September, scientists from Sweden identified 13 lactic acid bacteria found in bees and in honey that showed resistance to MRSA - a type of bacteria that is highly resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics. They said further research would investigate whether the substance shows promise for treating infections.
In September, another study published in the International Wound Journal by Swedish scientists found 13 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in bees and in honey.
"Our results demonstrate a potential explanation for why honey has been applied against threatening human and animal pathogens," the study said. "One of the most frequent uses of honey by humans through history is wound management. A feasible explanation is that the honey used in folk medicine has been freshly harvest honey which would contain a large amount of viable and active LAB when applied onto wounds. Our recent results show that the LAB produce a large quantity of putative antimicrobial proteins and peptides."
The study noted that the honey used in folk medicine was most likely natural honey that had not been heated, dehydrated or treated in any way. Also, honey varies from country to country depending on the pollens picked up by the bees.
