Scientists discover new antibiotic right under their noses

German scientists have found that bacteria located inside the human body could be used to treat illnesses, with the first example coming from a source inside the nose.

Research carried out by scientists at the University of Tuebingen, which was revealed at the European Open Science Forum in Manchester shows that rather than using soil samples to look for new antibiotic cells, they can be found a lot closer to home.

“Existing antibiotics have been isolated mainly from microbes that live in the soil,” said Andreas Peschel of Tübingen. “No one has looked systematically for antibiotics from bacteria that live in our bodies.”

Peschel referred to the discovery as "unexpected and exciting". Him and his team found Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in the noses of about 30% of people.

The research began with the observation that human noses containing the microbe Staphylococcus lugdunensis are free of the more dangerous Staphylococcus aureus, producing lugdunin, which clears out the area of competing bacteria.

The German team have placed a patent on the production of lugdunin, and has plnas to develop it chemically and commercially.

Tests to see whether the new antibiotic would work in humans haven’t yet been conducted, although the Tuebingen team did test it on mice, where it was found to be effective.