On my last post on MRSA, I had talked about how after having posted once, I was seeing MRSA everywhere (not the real stuff, just articles on it).
Interestingly, the trend continues. This past week, I came to know about the fact that researchers at the University of New Mexico and Sandia National Laboratories had come up with a new innovation in the war against MRSA.
They found that a single protein can alter the virulent MRSA and other bacteria into harmless versions of the same. This is effected by inhibiting the signaling molecules of the cell. It is believed that the breakthrough can prevent the bacteria from ever turning virulent.
Of course, the study has a long way to go, since this demonstration was done on a single bacterium after isolating it. Such isolation in healthcare settings are a long way away, but the fact that there is a promise is key.
Here is a story on this. The paper itself has been published in Nature Chemical Biology:
http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/12/04/Nipping-MRSA-in-the-bud/UPI-35051259963505/