Old diabetes medication could be used to defeat 'superbugs'
Researchers have used artificial intelligence in a new study to find a potential solution to the problem of superbugs. The multidrug-resistant bacteria are often found in hospitals - posing a massive risk to patients.
The World Health Organisation said their drug-resistance is a 'great threat', according to News Medical. Now research published in the journal of Antibiotics shows scientists in Morocco have used AI that could lead to a breakthrough.
They used AI to screen compounds and identify a potential solution to combat a group of 18 potentially lethal bacteria that have become resistant to other treatments. The work said researchers are looking at Halicin as a possible solution.
It is an experimental drug initially developed and researched as a treatment for diabetes. But its development was halted due to disappointing results during the testing phase.
However, in 2020, an MIT learning algorithm revealed the drug possessed unusual antibacterial properties, suggesting it could be used against multidrug-resistant bacteria. That finding has now been supported by the new study.
The Moroccan research looked at 18 specific multidrug-resistant bacteria that had overcome 22 common antibiotics. Among these diseases were E.Coli and the superbugs collectively known as ESKAPE:
Enterococcus faecium
Staphylococcus aureus
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Acinetobacter baumannii
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Enterobacter
ESKAPE includes illnesses such as MRSA, pneumonia and infections in the bloodstream, skin, soft tissue, lungs or urinary tract. These pathogens are particularly problematic in hospital settings and can be fatal.
Halicin was identified as a "novel antimicrobial agent for the treatment", effective against all but one of the tested bacteria. The bacterium P. aeruginosa was found to be entirely resistant to the medication.
The study's authors pointed out that this particular bacterium possesses an outer membrane that halicin cannot effectively penetrate. This is likely to render the drug ineffective against it.
Despite this, achieving a 94% success rate in combating multidrug-resistant bacteria marks a significant breakthrough for both the medical community and the repurposed drug. However, the researchers emphasised the need for additional research into the safety and optimal dosing of halicin before it can be considered for use in clinical environments.
They also cautioned about possible long-term consequences. They also called for more studies to investigate whether bacteria might eventually develop resistance to Halicin, as they have with other treatments - although this has not yet been observed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
5 hours ago
- Scotsman
Symptoms of E.coli after rise in cases linked to contaminated salad
is highly contagious and can easily spread in schools, nurseries or hospitals 🚨 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections increased by 26% last year, according to the latest data. The highest number of cases was in children under the age of four. The possible cause of the rise has been put down to contaminated salad leaves. People are being urged to look out for the signs and symptoms of after cases increased by 26% last year, according to the latest data from the UKHSA. There were 2,544 cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections reported in 2024, an increase of 26.1% compared to 2023. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The highest number of cases was in children under four, with possible reasons including less immunity, underdeveloped hygiene practices, parents seeking care when children were symptomatic, and potential exposure risks, such as contact with farm animals, particularly at petting farms. There were five STEC outbreaks in 2024; the largest was linked to contaminated salad leaves, which resulted in 293 cases. Of this, 126 cases needed hospital care, 11 developed life-threatening complications, and there were two deaths. Cases of a deadly strain of rose by 26% last year. |Dr Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director, Gastrointestinal Infections, Food Safety and One Health at UKHSA, said: 'STEC cases rose by around a quarter in 2024. While this rise is partly due to one foodborne outbreak, we have been seeing STEC cases gradually increase since 2022, and therefore it's important for people to take steps to prevent infection. 'If you have any STEC symptoms, like mild to bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and dehydration, wash your hands with soap and warm water and use bleach-based products to clean surfaces. Don't prepare food for others if you have symptoms or for 48 hours after symptoms stop. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is important for parents to make sure that young children wash their hands with soap and hot water and dry them thoroughly before eating, where possible, especially after playing outdoors and visiting pet farms. If you are travelling abroad, it's important to remember routine hygiene practices to reduce your chances of becoming unwell. 'Rarely STEC can progress to cause kidney failure and life-threatening illness, particularly in young children and the elderly. Please consult your GP or healthcare professional if you have blood in your stools or severe dehydration, and continue to hydrate yourself.' What is E. coli is a group of bacteria that can cause infections in your gastrointestinal tract and other areas of the body. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a common strain of in the UK, with cases rising sharply since last year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the symptoms of a STEC infection? The symptoms of a STEC infection can last up to two weeks. For some people, they can be mild, including diarrhoea, or even no symptoms at all. However, for others, symptoms can include mild to bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and dehydration. A small percentage of patients may develop a serious life-threatening complication called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), which can cause kidney failure. Is contagious? is highly infectious; only a few bacteria are needed to cause illness. An infection can easily spread amongst families or in settings such as nurseries, primary schools, hospitals, or nursing homes. How can you avoid getting an infection? If you have symptoms of STEC, you should wash your hands with soap and warm water, use bleach-based products to clean surfaces, and avoid preparing any food for 48 hours after symptoms stop. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For children, make sure they wash their hands with warm water and soap before eating, and especially if they have been outside or around animals. You can find out more about food safety and how to avoid catching at .
Scotsman
7 hours ago
- Scotsman
Symptoms of E.coli after rise in cases linked to contaminated salad
is highly contagious and can easily spread in schools, nurseries or hospitals 🚨 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections increased by 26% last year, according to the latest data. The highest number of cases was in children under the age of four. The possible cause of the rise has been put down to contaminated salad leaves. People are being urged to look out for the signs and symptoms of after cases increased by 26% last year, according to the latest data from the UKHSA. There were 2,544 cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections reported in 2024, an increase of 26.1% compared to 2023. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The highest number of cases was in children under four, with possible reasons including less immunity, underdeveloped hygiene practices, parents seeking care when children were symptomatic, and potential exposure risks, such as contact with farm animals, particularly at petting farms. There were five STEC outbreaks in 2024; the largest was linked to contaminated salad leaves, which resulted in 293 cases. Of this, 126 cases needed hospital care, 11 developed life-threatening complications, and there were two deaths. Cases of a deadly strain of rose by 26% last year. |Dr Gauri Godbole, Deputy Director, Gastrointestinal Infections, Food Safety and One Health at UKHSA, said: 'STEC cases rose by around a quarter in 2024. While this rise is partly due to one foodborne outbreak, we have been seeing STEC cases gradually increase since 2022, and therefore it's important for people to take steps to prevent infection. 'If you have any STEC symptoms, like mild to bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and dehydration, wash your hands with soap and warm water and use bleach-based products to clean surfaces. Don't prepare food for others if you have symptoms or for 48 hours after symptoms stop. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is important for parents to make sure that young children wash their hands with soap and hot water and dry them thoroughly before eating, where possible, especially after playing outdoors and visiting pet farms. If you are travelling abroad, it's important to remember routine hygiene practices to reduce your chances of becoming unwell. 'Rarely STEC can progress to cause kidney failure and life-threatening illness, particularly in young children and the elderly. Please consult your GP or healthcare professional if you have blood in your stools or severe dehydration, and continue to hydrate yourself.' What is E. coli is a group of bacteria that can cause infections in your gastrointestinal tract and other areas of the body. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a common strain of in the UK, with cases rising sharply since last year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What are the symptoms of a STEC infection? The symptoms of a STEC infection can last up to two weeks. For some people, they can be mild, including diarrhoea, or even no symptoms at all. However, for others, symptoms can include mild to bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and dehydration. A small percentage of patients may develop a serious life-threatening complication called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), which can cause kidney failure. Is contagious? is highly infectious; only a few bacteria are needed to cause illness. An infection can easily spread amongst families or in settings such as nurseries, primary schools, hospitals, or nursing homes. How can you avoid getting an infection? If you have symptoms of STEC, you should wash your hands with soap and warm water, use bleach-based products to clean surfaces, and avoid preparing any food for 48 hours after symptoms stop. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For children, make sure they wash their hands with warm water and soap before eating, and especially if they have been outside or around animals.
Daily Record
10 hours ago
- Daily Record
Drinking three cups of coffee day could protect against cognitive decline, new study finds
A new study found coffee and tea consumption is linked to declines in memory and reasoning in people over 60 Scientists have discovered an unexpected link between cognitive decline and the amount of tea or coffee consumed daily by people over 60. They have pinpointed a 'sweet spot' of around three cups of either beverage to maintain mental sharpness. However, they also found that consuming more than four cups of coffee per day was associated with poorer results. Interestingly, those who drank tea had worse results at the beginning of the study, despite experiencing a slower decline thereafter. The reasons behind these connections between tea and coffee consumption and cognitive decline remain unclear. The researchers highlighted the need for further studies to unravel this mystery, but suggested it might be related to caffeine content, as reported by News Medical. In a single cup of tea, there's approximately 28mg to 45mg of caffeine, while a cup of coffee contains around 95mg. This could explain why high tea intake was associated with slower decline, whereas high coffee intake was linked to faster decline. Published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, the research examined the long-term effects of tea and coffee consumption specifically on older adults. It tracked over 8,700 UK adults aged between 60 and 85 for just under a decade. The research took into account people with genetic predispositions for Alzheimer's disease, excluding those with other conditions that could influence the results such as Parkinson's, depression, diabetes, hypertension or consuming more than 14 units of alcohol per week. Participants were asked to disclose their coffee or tea consumption and were categorised into three groups; those who never drank it, those who consumed between one and three cups a day (moderate intake), and those with a high intake who had four or more cups daily. Their cognitive function was then evaluated using computerised tests which required them to solve verbal and numeric reasoning problems, testing their reaction time and memory, as well as a visual memory test using pair matching. People who either never drank coffee or had a moderate coffee intake exhibited a slower decline in their cognitive ability over time. However, those consuming four or more cups of coffee daily made more errors in pair matching as the years progressed, indicating they experienced a faster cognitive decline. On the flip side, people who had moderate to high tea consumption showed less decline compared to those that never drank tea. Drinking tea also didn't have any significant links to changes in reaction times, pair-matching errors or numerical memory. Researchers have highlighted previous studies that consistently demonstrate tea's superior cognitive benefits compared to coffee. Notably, a 2022 Chinese study found that consuming more than four cups of tea daily can reduce cognitive decline. However, the study does have its limitations as it failed to consider different brewing methods. Therefore, there's no data on whether participants were drinking decaffeinated or caffeinated coffee, what types of tea they were sipping, or how much milk and sugar they added to their brews.
