A recent study published in Nature Microbiology has demonstrated a potential solution to the growing issue of antibiotic resistance. Colistin, which is crucial in treating bacterial infections that are resistant to multiple drugs, is becoming less effective due to the development of resistance. However, researchers have found that combining colistin with inhibitors of biotin or fatty acid production can overcome this resistance.
By preventing the bacteria from producing certain lipids necessary for their membranes, the inhibitors of biotin or fatty acid production render the bacteria vulnerable to colistin once again. This combination has been shown to effectively combat colistin-resistant strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in both laboratory and mouse infection models.
This study offers a potential therapeutic approach for treating colistin-resistant infections and provides hope in the fight against antibiotic resistance.
Source: McMaster University