• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Saturday, August 2, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Chemistry

Combining antibiotics, researchers deliver one-two punch against ubiquitous bacterium

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
July 8, 2019
in Chemistry
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

CWRU/Cleveland VA findings in mouse models could make inroads against superbugs

By combining two well-established antibiotics for the first time, a scientific team led by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center has delivered a “double whammy” against the pervasive Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a potentially deadly form of bacteria that is a major source of hospital-based infections.

In a recent Journal of Infectious Diseases study, investigators showed using two antibiotic drugs to fight P. aeruginosa in mouse models was significantly more effective than either antibiotic alone. The antibiotics were ceftazidime-avibactam, a combination drug used to treat a wide variety of serious bacterial infections, and fosfomycin, used to primarily treat infections of the urinary tract.

“By successfully combining these two drugs against this widespread form of bacteria, we hope to lay a foundation for eventually eradicating the infection,” said the study’s lead author Krisztina M. Papp-Wallace, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at the School of Medicine and a research scientist at the Cleveland VA Medical Center. “These findings have significant implications for further studies directed at clinical applications and could bring benefits to numerous patients worldwide.”

Immunocompromised patients, such as those with cancer or cystic fibrosis, burn victims and patients on ventilators, are at particular risk from the bacterium, which can be spread by the hands of health-care workers or contaminated equipment.

Bacteria and other microorganisms have increasingly developed resistance to antibiotics, making infections harder to treat and expanding the risk of contamination to others. As a result, health-care costs are also growing. Microorganisms that develop antimicrobial resistance are sometimes referred to as “superbugs.” While such resistance typically occurs naturally over time, usually through spontaneous genetic changes, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating this process.

The new approach described in the paper is directed at destroying enzymes in the cell wall of the bacterium. Homing in on a particular strain of P. aeruginosa known as CL232, the researchers found that, after 24 hours, the ceftazidime-avibactam-fosfomycin combination was much more effective in reducing the presence of the bacterium than the medications individually.

“Dr. Papp-Wallace’s insight about combining the two antibiotics proved to be right on target,” said the study’s senior author, Robert A. Bonomo, MD, professor of medicine, pharmacology, molecular biology and microbiology at the School of Medicine and chief of the medical service at the Cleveland VA Medical Center. “This is superb bench-to-bedside science and has positive implications for future patients worldwide.”

###

The study was a substantial collaborative effort that included several of the world’s experts in infectious diseases. David S. Perlin, PhD, and his National Institutes of Health designated Center of Excellence in Translational Research (CETR) at Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation established the animal model to test the combination. George L. Drusano, MD, a leading specialist in pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics from the Institute for Therapeutic Innovation at the University of Florida determined the dosing parameters for this novel combination. Evelyn J. Ellis-Grosse, PhD, who was involved in the clinical development of intravenous fosfomycin in the United States, provided valuable input on the activity of fosfomycin. Barry N. Kreiswirth, PhD, also at Hackensack, and Derrick E. Fouts, PhD of J. Craig Venter Institute, assisted with the genetic characterization of the P. aeruginosa.

Support for this work was provided through the CETR and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Veterans Affairs Merit Review Program, Department of Veterans Affairs Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development Service, and the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center.

Papp-Wallace, K. et al. “Ceftazidime-Avibactam in Combination with Fosfomycin: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.” The Journal of Infectious Diseases. DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz149.

To learn more about Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, visit case.edu/medicine.

Media Contact
Ansley Gogol
[email protected]

Related Journal Article

https://case.edu/medicine/about/newsroom/our-latest-news/combining-antibiotics-researchers-deliver-one-two-punch-against-ubiquitous-bacterium
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiz149

Tags: BacteriologyHealth CareHealth Care Systems/ServicesHealth ProfessionalsInfectious/Emerging DiseasesMedicine/HealthPharmaceutical ChemistryPharmaceutical SciencePublic Health
Share12Tweet7Share2ShareShareShare1

Related Posts

Innovative Acid-Base Bifunctional Catalyst Enhances Production of Essential Lithium-Ion Battery Material

Innovative Acid-Base Bifunctional Catalyst Enhances Production of Essential Lithium-Ion Battery Material

August 1, 2025
Oven-Temperature Treatment (~300℃) Enhances Catalyst Performance by Six Times

Oven-Temperature Treatment (~300℃) Enhances Catalyst Performance by Six Times

August 1, 2025

5 Innovations Securing Water Sources and Ensuring Availability

August 1, 2025

Innovative Imaging Technique Reveals Elemental Distributions in Frozen Solvents within Nanomaterials

August 1, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • Blind to the Burn

    Overlooked Dangers: Debunking Common Myths About Skin Cancer Risk in the U.S.

    60 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Dr. Miriam Merad Honored with French Knighthood for Groundbreaking Contributions to Science and Medicine

    46 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 12
  • Study Reveals Beta-HPV Directly Causes Skin Cancer in Immunocompromised Individuals

    38 shares
    Share 15 Tweet 10
  • Sustainability Accelerator Chooses 41 Promising Projects Poised for Rapid Scale-Up

    35 shares
    Share 14 Tweet 9

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

New Research Suggests MS Could Start Much Earlier Than Previously Believed

Genome-Wide Study Links Genes to Tooth Diseases

New Research Explores the Brain as a Potential Target for Type 1 Diabetes Treatments

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.