Bacterial Research: Superhero' microbiome bacteria protect against deadly symptoms during infection ♦ New technique could prevent biofilms on catheters and medical implants

Superhero' microbiome bacteria protect against deadly symptoms during infection Once the most powerful and revolutionary of drugs, antibiotics appear to have reached their limits, due to the ability of bacteria to rapidly evolve resistance to the medicines. Now a team of scientists has found E. coli in microbiome capable of protecting the body from infectious diseases, which may help prevent antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

New technique could prevent biofilms on catheters and medical implants Biofilms -- mats of bacteria similar to the plaque that grows on teeth -- frequently coat the surfaces of catheters, and of various medical implants and prostheses, where they can threaten lives or lead to failure of the implants. Antibiotics are impotent against biofilms. Now scientists show that coating implants with 'tissue plasminogen activator' can prevent Staphylococcus aureus, the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections, from forming biofilms.

Study examines bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics used to treat gonorrhea Although gonorrhea susceptibility to the antibiotic cefixime has been improving in recent years, suggesting a halt of a drift towards antibiotic resistance, data for 2014 indicates a worsening of susceptibility.

Preventing dental implant infections Millions of dental implants are inserted every year, and often they need to be replaced due to issues such as tissue infections caused by bacteria. In the future, these infections will be prevented thanks to a new plasma implant coating that kills pathogens using silver ions.