Oyster Blood Could Be The Key To Combating Superbugs On A Global Scale

Oysters could play a role in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria on a global scale in the future. A protein that appears to kill bacteria is found in the blood of the Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata). It also boosts the effectiveness of some antibiotics.
Over the past 50 years or so, bacteria have developed resistance to many antibiotics used to treat illnesses like strep throat and pneumonia because they have been overused and misused. By 2050, antimicrobial resistance is predicted to cause 40 million deaths, according to a 2024 study.
In order to maintain public health and safety, it is crucial to develop new antibiotics to fight bacterial infections. So, scientists are turning to bivalves and other organisms for help.
It is not the first time that oyster components have been used in medical treatments. In some traditional medicines, they have been used to treat respiratory infections.
Additionally, their blood has exhibited anti-viral activity before. More than 90 percent of antibiotics that are currently in use have their origins in nature, including penicillin.
“Most organisms have natural defense mechanisms to protect themselves against infection,” said Kirstin Benkendorff, a co-author of the study and an interdisciplinary marine scientist at Southern Cross University in Australia.
“Oysters are constantly filtering bacteria from the water, so they are a good place to look for potential antibiotics.”
The research team identified a protein within the blood, or the hemolymph, of the Sydney rock oyster that inhibits Streptococcus pneumonia.
This bacterium causes respiratory infections in humans, such as tonsilitis and pneumonia. In children under the age of five, it is the leading cause of death.

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S. pneumoniae and other similar bacteria often form biofilms to protect themselves and escape from antibiotics and the immune system.
The biofilms are microorganisms that stick to surfaces and act as protective layering. The study found that oyster blood can destroy bacterial pathogens in the biofilms.
According to Benkendorff, the oyster hemolymph proteins were able to prevent and disrupt the formation of biofilms. As a result, the bacteria can be exposed to antibiotics.
Oyster hemolymph contains a variety of proteins that are known to have antimicrobial properties. These can help kill the bacteria directly and stop them from attaching to the surface of the cells.
The oyster hemolymph proteins were also not toxic to human lung cells, meaning that it might be possible to develop the proteins into a safe and effective dose.
There is still a long way to go when it comes to creating a new antibiotic from oyster blood, but the findings have helped scientists get one step closer.
“It provides great opportunities for collaboration between researchers, aquaculture, and pharmaceutical industries,” Benkendorff said.
“In the meantime, slurping oysters could help keep the respiratory bugs away. Oysters contain zinc, which boosts the immune system, and they have really good polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins that also help modulate immunity.”
The study was published in the journal PLOS One.
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