Use Bacteria To Fight Bacteria

ByJohn Teresko Clues to tomorrow's antibiotics are coming from bacteria -- especially the ways they compete with each other. For example, smear a friendly bacteria such as Lactobacillus fermentium on an open wound and the deadly Staphylococus aureus can't infect that tissue, say researchers at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ont. The protection comes from a protein secreted by Lactobacillus, say researchers. Further studies will be needed before any clinical use. The findings were reported at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology.