New Science Museum exhibition explores the deadly rise of superbugs

Plus the innovative use of Komodo dragon blood to combat them
The future of medicine?: Komodo dragon blood is being examined for its medicinal properties
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Ross Lydall @RossLydall8 November 2017

The extraordinary lengths being taken to fight the spread of deadly superbugs is revealed in a new exhibition at the Science Museum.

It highlights work by US researchers who are using the blood of Komodo dragons to treat bacterial infections. A team at George Mason University in Virginia discovered a molecule in the reptiles’ blood which has strong anti-bacterial properties and synthesised it for use in wound treatment.

The exhibition also shows how dangerous hospital-acquired infections can be. One patient at the Royal Marsden cancer hospital in Chelsea spent five months in isolation after antibiotics failed to treat an infection caught during surgery.

The show recreates work at St Mary’s hospital labs in Paddington by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928-29 that led to the discovery of penicillin, the first mass-produced antibiotic. There are now 26 antibiotics available for human use but none have been developed since 1987. Superbugs kill almost 700,000 people a year globally and by 2050 this could rise to 30 million.

A total of 1.3 million people catch bacterial infections in UK hospitals each year. Notable cases include that of the former Holby City and Men Behaving Badly star Leslie Ash, who has campaigned for greater awareness.

The show illustrates how, in the case of tuberculosis, treatment differs in patients depending on those who have become resistant to antibiotics. Those who are not resistant require 450 doses. Those who are require 14,000. Initiatives to combat the spread of bacterial infections include copper pens, which are being used at the Royal Marsden.

Entries for the £8 million Longitude prize, which seeks a tool to quickly diagnose the difference between a viral and bacterial infection, are also shown. Only bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics and the aim is to prevent GPs mistakenly giving antibiotics for viral infections. Visitors can also see 12 real bacteria colonies, including nine bacteria the World Health Organisation classifies as a significant threat to health. Curator Sheldon Paquin said: “We want to acknowledge [superbugs] as incredible creatures that are everywhere, that are powerful and resilient against drugs and worth respect. They are able to evolve so much faster than anything we can develop to combat them.”

Superbugs: The Fight For Our Lives, opens tomorrow and runs until February 2019

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