Researchers in Chile say they have discovered bacteria that have genes that make them resistant to antibiotics and antimicrobials during their research in Antarctica.
One of the biggest problems facing modern medicine is antibiotic resistance. When an infection occurs and the bacteria responsible for it are resistant to the antibiotics given, doctors have limited scope for action. This is the result of both endogenous genetic mutation and stress from overuse of antibiotics.
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Andres Marcoleta of the University of Chile headed the team responsible for the publication available on the pages college ecology. Of particular concern is the fact that what makes these bacteria resistant is contained in mobile pieces of DNA that can be transferred to other bacteria.
We know that the soil of the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the polar regions most affected by melting ice, is home to a wide variety of bacteria. and that some of them are potential sources of genes that provide resistance to antibiotics.
Explains Marcoleta
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a growing problem
His team collected samples that were analyzed in 2017-2019. In the course of research, it turned out to be bacteria of the genus pseudo, one of those dominant in the Antarctic Peninsula. And although they do not pose an immediate danger to pathogens, they can be a source of immunity that even disinfectants such as copper and chlorine cannot cope with.
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As global warming continues and the Antarctic ice cover shrinks, the risk of spreading this type of microorganism is increasing. Representatives of a different species were found during the search, PolaromonasHowever, according to scientists, they have the ability to neutralize beta-lactam antibiotics. Among them are penicillins, and beta-lactam antibiotics alone are essential in treating a variety of infections.
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