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| Tasmanian devil milk fights superbugs | Tasmanian devil milk fights superbugs |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Milk from Tasmanian devils could offer up a useful weapon against antibiotic-resistant superbugs, according to Australian researchers. | Milk from Tasmanian devils could offer up a useful weapon against antibiotic-resistant superbugs, according to Australian researchers. |
| The marsupial's milk contains important peptides that appear to be able to kill hard-to-treat infections, including MRSA, say the Sydney University team. | The marsupial's milk contains important peptides that appear to be able to kill hard-to-treat infections, including MRSA, say the Sydney University team. |
| Experts believe devils evolved this cocktail to help their young grow stronger. | Experts believe devils evolved this cocktail to help their young grow stronger. |
| The scientists are looking to make new treatments that mimic the peptides. | The scientists are looking to make new treatments that mimic the peptides. |
| They have scanned the devil's genetic code to find and recreate the infection-fighting compounds, called cathelicidins. | They have scanned the devil's genetic code to find and recreate the infection-fighting compounds, called cathelicidins. |
| PhD student Emma Peel, who worked on the research which is published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, said they had found six important peptides. | PhD student Emma Peel, who worked on the research which is published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, said they had found six important peptides. |
| These appear to be similar to peptides in the milk of other marsupials, which means these animals are worth studying too. | These appear to be similar to peptides in the milk of other marsupials, which means these animals are worth studying too. |
| "Tammar wallabies have eight of these peptides and opossums have 12," she said, adding that studies into koala's milk had now started. | "Tammar wallabies have eight of these peptides and opossums have 12," she said, adding that studies into koala's milk had now started. |
| Dirty devils | |
| Experts believe marsupials are good to study because their babies have to thrive in a relatively dirty environment. | |
| Tasmanian devil mothers give birth after only a few weeks of pregnancy. The tiny offspring then spend the next four months maturing in their mother's pouch. | |
| The Sydney team recreated the six devil peptides that they found and tested them on 25 types of bacteria and six types of fungi. | |
| One of the synthetic peptides - Saha-CATH5 - appeared to be particularly effective at killing the superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. | One of the synthetic peptides - Saha-CATH5 - appeared to be particularly effective at killing the superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA. |
| MRSA | MRSA |
| Many people carry MRSA on their skin and inside the nose and throat. | Many people carry MRSA on their skin and inside the nose and throat. |
| Most of the time, the infection is harmless. | Most of the time, the infection is harmless. |
| But if it enters the body through an open wound for example, it may cause problems, which is why people staying in hospital are at a higher risk. | But if it enters the body through an open wound for example, it may cause problems, which is why people staying in hospital are at a higher risk. |
| MRSA is treatable, but only with a combination of antibiotics that can get round the resistance problem. | MRSA is treatable, but only with a combination of antibiotics that can get round the resistance problem. |
| It also appeared to kill another resistant bug, called Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, as well as fungi, called Candida, which are commonly involved in skin infections. | It also appeared to kill another resistant bug, called Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, as well as fungi, called Candida, which are commonly involved in skin infections. |
| Experts agree that we urgently need new drugs to fight treatment-resistant infections. | Experts agree that we urgently need new drugs to fight treatment-resistant infections. |
| A recent review warned that by 2050, superbugs could kill one person every three seconds across the world unless urgent action was taken. | A recent review warned that by 2050, superbugs could kill one person every three seconds across the world unless urgent action was taken. |
| Dr Richard Stabler, Associate Professor in Molecular Bacteriology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "We need to do this hunting in unusual places for new antibiotics. People are beginning to explore and find new molecules." | Dr Richard Stabler, Associate Professor in Molecular Bacteriology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: "We need to do this hunting in unusual places for new antibiotics. People are beginning to explore and find new molecules." |