Enterococcus faecium is a bacterium that is naturally resistant to many common antibiotics. Particularly in vulnerable patient groups, such as immunocompromised individuals, the bacterium can cause infections that are difficult to treat and therefore poses a significant problem as a nosocomial pathogen. Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) is among the most concerning antibiotic-resistant pathogens, as treatment options are severely limited. The resistance is due to the VanA or VanB enzyme complexes, which render vancomycin ineffective. However, VanB is often not reliably detected in standard diagnostic susceptibility tests, which can lead to ineffective therapies and the further spread of VRE.

Many bacteria produce substances to gain an advantage over competitors in their highly competitive natural environment. Researchers at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), the University of Bonn and the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) have discovered a new so-called lantibiotic, namely epilancin A37. It is produced by staphylococci that colonize the skin and acts specifically against their main competitors there, the corynebacteria. This specificity is presumably mediated by a very special mechanism of action, which the researchers were able to decipher in detail. Their results have now been published in the renowned ISME Journal.