New type of antibiotics targets bacterial toxins

CHICAGO Researchers in the United States have found a novel approach to combating bacterial infections: Don’t kill them—just take away their weapons.

The researchers, who published their findings in the journal Science, have developed a compound, LED209, that blocks bacteria’s ability to communicate and release the toxins that cause sickness. They said the compound works on cultures E. coli, salmonella and Francisella tularensis bacteria, the latter of which causes tularemia, and prevented mice with salmonella and F. tularensis from becoming sick.

The researchers said that the bacteria would not likely be able to develop antibiotic resistance because the compound does not kill them.