Scientists at the University of Sheffield in the UK have discovered an evolutionary door that could help pneumonia cells Resistance to antibiotics.New research published in journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Scienceshave identified the genetic scars that remain in bacterial genomes when bacteria become resistant to antibiotic treatments.
This important advance in understanding how antibiotic resistance occurs will allow scientists to better predict which strains of pneumonia will become The future is very resistantwhich will give them time to implement control measures that will help save patients’ lives.
Pneumonia is a very serious infection usually caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae (Streptococcus pneumoniae).Antibiotics are given to patients to Eliminate bacteriabut they are looking for ways to develop resistance that could threaten patient treatment in the long term.
The Sheffield team discovered some A mutation called pde1 Serves as an evolutionary portal through which cells pass Streptococcus pneumoniae They become resistant to antibiotics.
Lead author Dr Andrew Fenton, from the University of Sheffield’s School of Biological Sciences, explained: “Pneumonia is a dangerous and deadly infection and effective antibiotic treatment is vital for patient care. However, that Antibiotic effectiveness “It is increasingly threatened because over time, the bacteria that cause pneumonia become resistant to antibiotic treatments,” he added.
«This study uncovers genetic scars remaining in the body bacterial genome When they become resistant to antibiotic treatment, continue treatment. “This is a big step forward in understanding how resistance occurs and how we can predict it.”
“If we understand the emergence of antibiotic resistance, we will be able to predict which strains become more dangerous,” he stressed.This gives us time to put in place control measures to stop its spread and save patient’s life».
Over the past decade, many large-scale genetic and genomic association studies have been conducted on drug resistance. antibiotic Streptococcus pneumoniaeBut so far, they have not translated into effective palliative measures.
This research represents an important step forward for the field molecular understanding resistance and adds pde1 to the selected group of mutations known to promote antibiotic resistance Streptococcus pneumoniae.