New antibiotic to curb dangerous gut bacterium with a low dose

The new antibiotic EVG7 has demonstrated the ability to fight the dangerous gut bacterium C difficile with only a minimal dose, a new study showed.

C difficile is a persistent intestinal bacterium that can cause severe illness, particularly in older people and those with weakened health.

The bacterium produces a toxin that leads to severe diarrhoea. Current treatments are not always effective, as the infection often returns.

"With existing antibiotics, C difficile sometimes reappears just weeks after treatment," said researcher and lead author Elma Mons, from the varsity. "This happens partly because the bacterium leaves behind spores, which can develop into new bacteria, causing the infection to return," Mons said.

The team investigated the effect of a low dose of EVG7 on C difficile in mice.

The results showed that the C. difficile bacteria were far less likely to return. In contrast, a lower dose of vancomycin did not have the same effect, nor did a higher dose of EVG7.