Scientists go into battle to disarm superbug

Scientists go into battle to disarm superbug. Imperial researchers talk about tackling %0A " - By Lucy Goodchild - Friday 19 March 2010 Two recent pieces of research from Imperial reveal new ways of tackling the armour and weapons of Clostridium difficile, the 'superbug' that causes severe infections in hospital patients and the elderly. is a bacterium that can cause severe gut infections in humans, particularly in those taking antibiotics. Some strains of are resistant to treatment with most antibiotics, earning them the name 'superbugs'. infection is a major problem in healthcare settings and scientists are taking different approaches to tackling the problem. At Imperial, two of the groups involved in this work have published their research this month: one targets the bacterium's protective coat and the other investigates its toxin. The antibiotic resistance of , Imperial researchers announce their discovery of a chemical that interferes with the formation of this protein coat.