Scientists develop real-time genome sequencing to combat deadly superbug
Australian scientists have made a breakthrough in combating Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as golden staph
- SYDNEY — Australian scientists have made a breakthrough in combating
Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as golden staph -- a superbug that causes
more than a million deaths worldwide each year.
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- The world-first initiative has demonstrated that
real-time genome sequencing during severe infections allows doctors to quickly
identify resistance mutations, and personalise treatment, Xinhua news agency
reported.
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- It will also help curb the spread of antibiotic
resistance, said researchers from the Melbourne-based Peter Doherty Institute
for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute).
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- Collaborating with seven local hospitals, scientists from
the Doherty Institute said that traditionally, hospital laboratories identify
bacteria using standard tests that reveal only the species type, offering
limited insight into antibiotic resistance or genetic changes.
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- In contrast, genome sequencing provides a comprehensive
genetic profile, uncovering mutations that can influence how bacteria respond
to treatment.
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- Previously, research into bacterial evolution was
typically carried out retrospectively, often years after patients had completed
treatment.
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- In contrast, this new method enables clinicians to
monitor bacterial changes in real-time, providing immediate and actionable
insights for patient care, according to the study published in Nature
Communications.
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- Comparing golden staph samples from patients at the start
of infection and at treatment failure, researchers found that in a third of
cases, the bacteria developed mutations making standard antibiotics
ineffective, said lead author Stefano Giulieri at the Doherty Institute and the
University of Melbourne.
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- "In one case, after initially controlling a golden
staph infection, the patient returned to the hospital two months after stopping
antibiotics," Giulieri said.
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- Giulieri added that resistance increased 80-fold within
two months, but genomic insights enabled clinicians to successfully adapt
treatment and cure the infection.
