In 1945, Sir Alexander Fleming warned that disease-causing bacteria could develop resistance to antibiotics if we become overdependent on them. His prediction has come true: almost all bacteria have become antibiotic-resistant, thanks to our propensity to swallow a pill every time we feel poorly. Should we be worried?
Perhaps not yet. Scientists at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, say they have found a new class of antibiotics called teixobactin that could prove effective against a number of bacterial infections that have developed resistance to existing antibiotic drugs. Uncovered by screening 10,000 bacterial strains from soil – and reported in the journal Nature – teixobactin is yet to be tested in humans. If proven successful, it could be a “game-changer”, they say.
Having made such mistakes with the first generation of antibiotics, science seems to be giving us a second chance. Let’s not waste it this time.
