Costa Rican biologist, Javier Cerda Pizarro, from the Pasteur Institute, led a scientific research in France that discovered a new antibiotic molecule.
The results of the study with mice were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
Scientists were able to isolate the toxin Listeriolysin S, which was proven to be effective to fight skin diseases, pneumonia and blood poisoning, caused by an infection with the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus.
This bacterium is a major cause of infections in hospitals, and it is very difficult to destroy, since it has developed resistance to antibiotics.
However, before using the molecule as a medicine, scientists need to be able to produce it artificially first.
Source: La Nación.