Superbug find brings renewed hope for antibiotic treatment
Fosfomycin should be reconsidered as a treatment for life-threatening Listeria, new research suggests.
Bacteria considered to be resistant to a powerful antibiotic could be receptive to treatment after all, according to a study led by the University of Edinburgh.
The study published in the journal PLOS Genetics found that listeria responds to an antibiotic, even though it carries genes that should make it very resistant. Researchers say the antibiotic, fosfomycin, should be therefore be reconsidered as a treatment for life-threatening listeria infections.
“Our study focused on listeria, but this important discovery may be relevant for other species of bacteria too,” commented study leader Professor Jose Vazquez-Boland. “It is encouraging that we may be able to repurpose existing drugs in the race against antibiotic resistance.”
Previous tests indicated that fosfomycin failed to kill listeria because it carries it a gene that enables it to break down the drug. But further studies found that the drug was effective at killing listeria in infected cells in the lab and in mice.
Researchers discovered that genes are only activated when the bacteria that infect the body cancel out the effects of the drug-destroying gene. They say the findings could prove useful for life-threatening listeria cases, despite these bacteria testing resistant based on laboratory tests.
Listeria infection is a food-borne disease caused by eating contaminated foods such as soft cheeses, meats and salads. The condition is often fatal and can be particularly deadly for those with weakened immune systems.
Because listeria bacteria reproduce within the cells of the body and frequently affect the brain, only certain medicines can treat the infection. Current treatment options are therefore limited and fosfomycin could prove highly beneficial.
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
