Modified antibiotics beat a stubborn lung pathogen and dodge metabolic landmines, offering new hope for patients with HIV, cystic fibrosis, and TB co-infections.
Study: Next-generation rifamycins for the treatment of mycobacterial infections. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock
The rise of drug-resistant bacteria is a major health crisis. Moreover, the development of antibiotic resistance in pulmonary pathogens such as Mycobacterium abscessus, against which treatment options are already limited, poses a serious problem for cystic fibrosis patients and immunocompromised individuals.
A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences explored new versions of rifamycins, antibiotics traditionally used to treat tuberculosis, to combat severe lung infections caused by…