Breakthrough on superbug

AN ACCIDENTAL drug discovery has paved the way to stop a superbug in its tracks and save thousands of patients from deadly hospital infections.

While trying to grow the killer clostridioides difficile bacterium in a laboratory, a Monash University research team inadvertently uncovered an antibiotic capable of halting its life-threatening spread.

With 30 Australians dying from clostridioides difficile each week, among the 30,000 patients suffering infections each year, the consequences could be massive.

After finding that an old and now seldom-used type of antibiotics known as cephamycins were a virtual kryptonite for the superbug, Professor Dena Lyras hopes future epidemics can be avoided.