New Germ Fighter Turns up in Dirt

Researchers found a compound in soil that acts as an antibiotic. That means it kills bacteria. The compound is called teixobactin （TIKES-so-BAK-tin）. In the lab， it wiped out bacteria that cause dangerous infections in people. These included anthrax， tuberculosis （TB） and strep.

Also important， the potential drug seems safe for use in animals. In mice infected with the bacteria that cause strep throat， the chemical killed the germs without harming the animals. The compound even killed bacteria that had become resistant to other antibiotics.

Resistance is making many antibiotics useless. This is proving especially true for drugs that had been used for decades or more. Indeed， more and more bacteria around the world are becoming resistant to antibiotics. And when infected with those germs， people may get very sick. Large numbers of people now die from diseases that antibiotics once cured. TB is among them. In response， drug companies are looking for new treatments.

Teixobactin works by harming a germ's ability to build its cell wall， notes a biochemistry reseach team at Northeastern University in America. With its cell wall weakened， the germ loses its defenses and dies， the research team showed.