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Researchers discover new antibiotic in African ant
petri dish
The new species is a member of the Streptomycin bacteria family.
Tests show antibiotic is highly-effective against MRSA

Researchers have discovered a new species of antibiotic, produced by the bacteria of an African ant, that is highly effective against MRSA.

The finding, published in the journal Chemical Science, was made by scientists at the University of East Anglia and the John Innes Centre.

The new species is a member of the Streptomycin bacteria family and was discovered on the African fungus-growing plant-ant, Tertraponera penzigi.

Tests show that the antibiotic is potent against antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE).

Professor Wilkinson from the John Innes Centre commented: “Our finding highlights the importance of searching as-yet under-expired environments, which, when combined with recent advances in genome sequencing and editing, enables the discovery of new species making natural product antibiotics which could prove invaluable in the fight against AMR.”

Currently, nearly all of the antibiotics in use originate from a group of bacteria called actinomycetes. This bacteria was isolated from soil between 40 and 80 years ago, in what is known as the ‘golden age’ of antibiotic discovery.

Since then, inappropriate use of these antibiotics has led to widespread antimicrobial resistance where disease-causing bacteria have become resistant to some of these antibiotics.

“We have been exploring the chemical ecology of protective symbioses formed between antibiotic-producing bacteria and fungus-growing insects to better understand how these associations are formed and explore them as a new source of anti-infective drugs,” said Prof Matt Hutchings from the University of East Anglia.

“Kenyan plant-ants live in symbiosis with thorny acacia trees. They live and breed in domatia - which are hollowed out structures which the plant evolved to house them - and grow fungus in them for food. In return, they protect the plants from large herbivores including elephants, which won't eat plants covered in ants.”

The antibiotic has been named ‘streptomyces formicae,’ and the antibiotics formicamycins, after the latin formica, meaning ant.

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.