• Question: Are you involved in the research study on Methacillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus or just Staphylococcus aureus?

    Asked by u27adamsm to Daz on 15 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Darren Braddick

      Darren Braddick answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      Hi Adamsm,

      I am involved with both. Primarily Staph aureus at the moment, but the I’ve worked with the cells of both (which was a little scary but entirely safe) and proteins from regular Staph aureus so far. Methicllin resistant strains (called MRSA – the media and scientists LOVE acronyms) are of interest because they withstand mankind’s best drugs, the penicillins, including methicillin, which was a drug made to beat regular penicillin resistance.

      Outside of penicillin drugs, there’s not much else! Vancomycin is a different drug and can be used, but it’s great, with some awful side effects. On top of that, now vancomycin resistant strains are appearing – called VRSA.

      Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂

      Daz

Comments

  • Photo: driscolld09

    driscolld09 commented on :

    only i scientist could understand half of that

    • Photo: Daz

      Daz commented on :

      Hi driscolld09

      Well, the answer to u27adamsm was that I do work with those bacteria (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus aureus).

      I wanted to explain the difference between them, which is really just that Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus cannot be killed as easily as Staphylococcus aureus can be. Its because our drugs, antibiotics, no longer work, because the resistant bacteria have evolved ways to survive them. That is why we are interested in studying these bacteria; because they are very dangerous and are a big problem in hospitals.

      Does that help?

      Daz