Ground-breaking research in Adelaide is unearthing a potential natural solution to stop the rapidly growing global issue of antibiotic resistance, listed by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 public health threats facing humanity.
Scientific trials underway between the University of South Australia and locally-based biological company Neutrog Australia have potentially uncovered soil-based weapons to target the problem at its source.
Antibiotic resistance has become a major roadblock to the effective treatment of many infectious diseases, with UTIs being one of the most prevalent, particularly among women.
Many intensive farming operations use antibiotics as a preventative measure to ensure the health and wellbeing of animals and workers against naturally present pathogenic bacteria such as E.coli (a common cause of UTIs) and Salmonella. The overuse of antibiotics in commercial, intensive agriculture and its potential link to antibiotic resistance has been the subject of global research over many years.
Now in a joint study, Neutrog and the University of South Australia have uncovered a potential breakthrough to provide a biological, natural alternative to antibiotics.
Through its own processing and testing of poultry manure to make biological fertiliser, Neutrog’s Research and Development team has identified certain microbes that exhibit a unique and natural ability to inhibit and suppress bacterial pathogens.
Neutrog’s R&D team is led by world renowned microbiologist Dr Uwe Stroeher while the company’s Biological Advisory Board is comprised of leaders in the fields of infectious disease, bacteria and plant science including Professor Paul Manning, who was previously the Head of Molecular Sciences at Astra Zeneca in the USA.
“Initially we had been looking at how these microbes performed against plant and soil pathogens to help commercial growers control disease and improve soil health while providing an alternative to increasingly ineffective chemical treatments,” Dr Stroeher said.
“The microbes passed with flying colours, which posed the question, if they perform so well against plant and soil pathogens, what’s to say they couldn’t influence human and animal pathogens?
“We have teamed up with the highly respected microbiology researchers from the University of South Australia to further these trials. The initial results have been very encouraging and we’re now in the midst of further testing to confirm the bacteria fighting qualities of these individual microbe species and to pinpoint the genes involved.”
UniSA Head of Microbiology, Professor Rietie Venter, says the project demonstrates a holistic approach to antibiotic resistance.
“We are aiming to provide a One Health solution that addresses issues across the interconnected sectors of animal health, environmental health, and human health,” Assoc Prof Venter says.
“Microbes must fight each other to survive in a hostile environment, and most antibiotics come from microbes. Australia is home to a rich and underexploited microbial diversity that we are mining for novel antimicrobials to fight antimicrobial resistance.”
If the trials are successful, Neutrog will seek to make the microbes available to commercial agricultural producers across the globe.
“By introducing a biocontrol agent into the bedding of chicken, pig and cattle operations, we are effectively building a biological barrier to reduce the potential transfer of pathogens between animals and humans,” Dr Stroeher said.
“Achieving a reduction of the pathogen load in these types of growing environments would significantly lessen the requirement for the overuse of antibiotics in livestock. This could lead to improved animal husbandry and the potential reduction in antibiotic resistance to human pathogens, further down the line.
“Through these trials we are tackling a problem at its source, rather than at the point it eventually manifests in the human population.
“The broader implications of a possible breakthrough could revolutionise commercial agriculture and human health outcomes worldwide.”