Parasitic worms: an ally in the war against the superbugs.
The entomopathogenic nematodes are now of considerable scientific interest not only because of their function as biological control agents, but because of the potential medical and agricultural importance of the metabolic products of their symbiotic bacteria. Initial exploration in Australia, a decade ago, has blossomed into a significant area of research activity as we discover the nematicidal, anticancer, antimycotic and antibiotic properties of these bacterially derived compounds. Some of the antibiotics are novel compounds, and they might form the basis of the next round of drugs against the superbugs, as discussed here by John Webster, Genhui Chen and Jianxong Li.
Webster
J M
JM
Chen
G
G
Li
J
J