Newly discovered antibiotic bacteria called Staphylococcus Borealis present potential health risks.
Staphylococcus Borealis It has been found to resist several types of antibiotics, which raises concerns about its potential impact on vulnerable populations, especially the elderly.
In 2020, researchers from the UIT of the Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø identified this previously unknown bacteria. While many know Staphylococcus aureus (commonly known as Staph Golden), this new discovery belongs to the White Staph group.
Appointed Staphylococcus Borealis (S. Borealis) In honor of the Northern Boreales, the bacteria was isolated for the first time in Tromsø, located in northern Norway.
But how dangerous this new
“Data-Gt-translate-attrattes =” ({“attribute =” “tabindex =” 0 “role =” link “> speciesAnd should we worry about his threat to human health?
33% of antibiotic resistance
To investigate, the researchers collected bacterial samples stored in freezers in several Norwegian hospitals.
The samples went until 2014, and the researchers carried out new tests to see if they could identify the new bacteria in the old samples. Meanwhile, new samples arriving at the UIT laboratory from 2020 to 2024 have been continuously tested. In total, the researchers collected and analyzed 129 samples of seven Norwegian hospitals.
It turns out that S. Borealis is resistant to more than three different antibiotics classes in a third of the cases where it has been tested.
“We see the most resistance against the fusidic antibiotic classes
“Data-gt-translate-attributes =” ({“attribute =” “tabindex =” 0 “role =” link “> acidCephalosporins, penicillins, macrolides and fluoroquinolones, “explains Jorunn Pauline Cavanagh, who led the work on bacterial analyzes.
In addition, the bacteria also seems to be very clever to acquire mechanisms for protecting other bacterial species. This means that it could potentially rapidly develop antibiotic resistance, when attacked with drugs currently available.
A problem for the elderly
S. Borealis is a bacteria that lives on our skin, and researchers have discovered that it can become problematic when your immune system is weakened. This makes it particularly worrying for the elderly and for those who have had knee or hip repairers.
“This bacteria is an opportunist who can cause a disease when your immune system is compromised. For example, we see that it can form what is called biofilm around knee prostheses and cause infections that can be difficult to treat, ”explains Jorunn Pauline Cavanagh.
Researchers are now working to determine what diseases this bacteria can cause. The preliminary results suggest that this can cause urinary tract infections, as well as inflammation in areas where implants are present.
“We know that this causes a mastitis in the dromedary camels. Indeed
Reference: “Reveal the clinical relevance of Staphylococcus Borealis“By Jorunn Pauline Cavanagh, Claus Klingenberg, Hermine Jean Ventter, Jan Egil Afset, Olaf Stromme, Paul Christofer Lindemann, Therese Johansen, Kyriakos Zaragkoulias, Hege Vangstein Aamot, Ståle Tofeland and Pia Littauer, March 12, 2025, Microbiology spectrum.
DOI: 10.1128 / Spectrum. 01988-24
Funding: Northern Norther Health Authority (Helse Nord), Norwegian Surveillance Program for Antimicrobial Resistance (Standard)
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