"What we have here is a completely novel approach to combating illness," Dr. Vanessa Sperandio, associate professor of microbiology and biochemistry at the University of Texas Southwestern and senior author of a study, said in a statement released Thursday.
What she means is that they found a molecule that can block signals the bacteria sends inside people's bodies to release toxins. Without those signals, potentially harmful bacteria pass through people's digestive systems without causing illness.
Scientists have known about this process, but haven't known how to block the signals.
Researchers found that the molecule LED209 interferes with the biochemical signals that cause bacteria to release toxins.
Further complicating the situation is that as new antimicrobial drugs become available bacteria become resistant to those antibiotics, which means that treating those bacteria with antibiotics can cause them to release toxins they otherwise wouldn't making illnesses worse.
Findings from the study will be published in a future issue of Science.
