Antibiotic-resistant infections are increasing in number and threaten to become the leading cause of global mortality by 2050. A worrying prospect that could be avoided thanks to the recent discovery of 18 previously unknown species of enterococci.
The advent of antibiotic-resistant infections represents a major challenge for global public health. The projections are alarming: the resistanceresistance antibiotics will be the leading cause of death by 2050, ahead of cancers. This critical situation highlights the importance of understanding and limiting the diffusiondiffusion of these resistant microorganisms. A recent study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Pnas) by an American team, implemented lightlight discovering news speciesspecies enterococci, offering promising prospects for the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Discovery and importance of new species of enterococci
This study highlights the discovery of 18 species of enterococci never before identified, enriched with hundreds of new genes. Enterococci are bacteriabacteria notoriously known for their ability to resist antibiotic treatments. They represent a major source of nosocomial infections, particularly after surgical procedures. These infections not only pose a significant health risk to hospitalized patients but also result in additional healthcare costs, exceeding $30 billion annually. The discovery of these new species opens up crucial avenues of research to understand the spread of resistance genes and develop more effective strategies to counter these threats.
Antibiotic resistance: a global issue
The authors recall the vital importance of antibiotics since their discovery in the 1920s: antibiotics have saved hundreds of millions of lives and enabled the success of surgical interventions. However, the alarming increase in antibiotic resistance among bacteria today poses a public health crisis.
This study is part of a global effort to combat antibiotic resistance, involving the collection of biological samples in varied and remote environments. The research team explored habitats ranging from sub-Antarctic regions to tropical forests, and analyzed specimens from a wide range of animals, revealing a diversity geneticgenetic unexpected among enterococci. These efforts highlight the role of ecosystemsecosystems natural and animal species in the dynamics of antibiotic resistance, offering essential perspectives for the development of new approaches in the fight against the spread of these resistant bacteria.
