ARS Discovery May Control Strep, Staph Infections

January 4, 2000

USDA scientists searching for natural compounds to control fungi in plants may have stumbled onto new antibiotics that control streptococcus and staphylococcus bacteria. Agricultural Research Service scientists at Lane, OK, and College Station, TX, say the discovery is not related to penicillin.

They say the new family of antibiotic compounds has "potent antimicrobial activity." The finding was made while scientists were looking for microbial compounds to control diseases like root rot in muskmelon and watermelon plants.

The discovery and use of antibiotics like penicillin against infectious diseases have added about 20 years to the average human life expectancy in developed countries. However, up to 80% of all strains of staphylococcus are resistant to penicillin and its derivative forms. Similar resistance to penicillin and other antibiotics has been observed in other bacterial pathogens like streptococcus.

USDA scientists isolated six compounds they say show some degree of antibiotic activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria. Three of the compounds showed excellent activity against staphylococcus and streptococcus that cause diseases in humans. One of the six showed strong antibiotic activity against all seven bacterial species tested.