The case in summary: Researchers at UiT have found a new substance, a bacteriocin, in a common skin bacterium that can inhibit the growth of other bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The discovery has recently been presented in Microbiology Spectrum and may have great potential to be developed into new medicines. Antibiotic resistance is an increasing global problem, with approximately one million deaths worldwide each year. It may take 10 to 20 years to develop medicines based on this discovery, but it can potentially help those who are extra exposed to bacterial infections, such as people with weakened immune systems. The find has been given a Sami name, Romsacin, after Tromsø and Romssa where it was found. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria are an increasing global problem. Part of the solution may lie in copying the bacteria’s own weapons. It is precisely here that researchers at UiT have made a breakthrough. They have found a new substance in a completely common skin bacterium. This substance is called bacteriocin. It is so small that it is not visible under a microscope. But it has a property that can defeat bacteria that make us sick. – We have a discovery where we see that the bacteriocin in the skin bacteria inhibits the growth of other types of bacteria, says researcher Runa Wolden at the Department of Clinical Medicine. The discovery has recently been presented in Microbiology Spectrum. Facts about bacteriocins Produced by bacteria to inhibit the growth of competing bacterial species. Ensures that the producer retains more of the nutrients in the ecosystem itself. The producer bacterium tolerates its own bacteriocin, while it is toxic to other types of bacteria. Bacteriocins are small peptides. They are not visible under a normal microscope. Can become part of the solution to combat antibiotic resistance. Facts: UiT – Norway’s Arctic University Hopes the discovery can become future medicine When Wolden and the research group for child and youth health first made the discovery, they did not know if it was a new discovery. After further investigations, they got an answer. – It turned out that it was a new substance, which had not been described before. They did new tests. We found out that this substance is also inhibitory to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. – There are bacteria that are a big problem, and for which there are few medicines. So it is a very exciting discovery. – It is very motivating and fun to find something new. This is something that can have great potential to be developed into new medicines, which we need in the future, she says. There are several diseases that antibiotics cannot treat today. The researcher explains that the bacteria are a little ahead of us. In many places in the world, more antibiotics are used than is needed. This in turn leads to more antibiotic resistance being developed. It is becoming a bigger and bigger problem. – On a global basis, there are around one million deaths every year, which are caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Characterizing findings as promising Dag Berild is senior physician at the Infectious Diseases Department at Oslo University Hospital and professor of infectious diseases. He has been researching antibiotics and antibiotic resistance for around 30 years. He tells news that research into bacteriocins that UiT is doing is important. Berild says that we cannot win the “battle against the bacteria” with antibiotics. – We select from resistant bacteria from our normal bacterial flora every time we use antibiotics. There is an increase in resistant bacteria in Norway as well, and there have been no new antibiotics for over 30 years. Dag Berild is senior physician at the Infectious Diseases Department at Oslo University Hospital and professor of infectious diseases. Photo: news Berild says that there are also few antibiotics left to overcome the most resistant bacteria. That is why he thinks the findings the researchers at UiT have made are exciting. – We can reduce the development of resistance by reducing the use of antibiotics. And we must focus on researching alternative methods to overcome the most resistant bacteria. He characterizes basic research carried out at UIT as important. – It is a promising discovery, but it can take years and cost a lot of money before the discovery can possibly be used clinically. Can take 10 to 20 years Perhaps the researchers in Tromsø have found an answer that could save some of those lives in the future. The road until the discovery by the researchers in Tromsø can become valid as medicine against infections and diseases is long. – As researchers, we would like to see that we had something tomorrow that we don’t have today. It is expensive to develop medicines, and from the time you have a discovery it can take 10 to 20 years. But that’s good because it will be tested quite thoroughly. The research group of research fellow Runa Wolden at UiT hopes their findings can become future medicine for bacterial diseases we cannot treat today. Photo: JØRN BERGER NYVOLL / UIT NORWAY’S ARCTIC UNIVERSITY Wolden mentions urinary tract infections, blood poisoning and wound infections as possible bacterial diseases where the new discovery could play a future role as medicine. The hope is that it can help those who are extra exposed to bacterial infections. The research group has humans with compromised immune systems as its research field. – They are extra vulnerable to infections from bacteria which are not usually a problem. – I hope that we can get a medicine that can also work on diseases that are difficult to treat today. Has been given a Sami name The find has been given a Sami name, Romsacin. The discovery has been named the Sami name Romsacin, Wolden says. Photo: JØRN BERGER NYVOLL / UIT NORWAY’S ARCTIC UNIVERSITY – It has been found in Tromsø and Romsa, so we found it natural to give it a Sami name from here, says Wolden.
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