Slime fish could be the next big thing in antibiotics

Scientists are studying the presence of fish mucus in the development of a new type of antibiotic to combat the growing threat posed by super bacteria to public health.

Decades of abuse of antibiotics have resulted in the proliferation of superbugs – strains of bacteria that have altered their response to drugs. An increasing number of infections, including pneumonia and tuberculosis, are becoming increasingly difficult to treat because antibiotics are no longer as effective.

Experts have warned that the problem of super-bacteria could lead to situations where common infections could again be life-threatening. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 2 million people in the United States suffer from antibiotic-resistant infections and about 23,000 die from them.

Antibiotics Slime Fish

Now, a team of researchers has proposed finding new antibiotics that can eliminate super-bacteria in the fish saliva. The mucus that covers the outer surface of the fish has the ability to protect the marine animal against bacteria, viruses and fungi.

"The fish mucus is really interesting because the environment in which the fish live is complex," said Molly Austin, a student who is involved in the research. "They are in constant contact with their environment with many pathogenic viruses."

As part of the research, the team took a closer look at the collection of microbes in the mucus and the substance it produces. They took samples of 17 species of fish caught off the coast of southern California.

The researchers said they found 47 strains of different bacteria, some of which produce chemical mixtures that can fight against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In the meantime, some strains look promising against E. coli and even colon cancer cells.

They will present their findings at the 2019 Spring National Meeting and Expo of the American Chemical Society in Orlando, Florida.

The race to find new antibiotics against superbugs

More studies are needed before the first antibiotics derived from fish mud are marketed. The researchers said their next goal is to identify the substance responsible for the antibacterial properties of the mucus. In addition, they have not yet badyzed in detail each strains of bacteria they found in the fish mud swabs they collected.

"For us, any microbe present in the marine environment that could provide a new compound deserves to be explored," added Sandra Loesgen, lead researcher of the study.

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