Some of the strains tested are known to be resistant to vancomycin – the final drug of choice given to patients fighting an MRSA infection.“We’re not entirely sure why these synergies occur between the compound and antibiotics, but we’re keen to explore this further,” said Dr. Laabei, researcher from the Department of Live Sciences at Bath.“This is important, as drugs that have the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration are likely to be more effective antimicrobial agents, and to be safer to the patient.”Though further research is needed, Dr. Laabei believes the new compound “could have important implications in a clinical setting as a new treatment option.”He said: “Preliminary research suggests the compound is non-toxic to humans, which of course is essential.We believe the compound attacks the membrane of S. aureus, resulting in the membrane becoming permeable, resulting in bacterial death.”The compound was also tested against biofilm – the thin, hard-to-treat layer of microorganisms that grows on hard surfaces (seen, for instance, as plaque on teeth or a stubborn film on urinary catheters) and can result in serious infection.Over the past 20 years, however, for complex and only partially understood reasons, there has been an upswing in community-wide infections even among otherwise healthy individuals, bringing a sense of urgency to the quest to find fresh ways to tackle the problem."