Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have recently discovered that a “good” type of bacteria commonly found in probiotic dietary supplements can be effective in eliminating Staphylococcus aureus, a dangerous bacterium that can cause life-threatening antibiotic-resistant infections. Researchers found that the probiotic Bacillus was effective against several strains of Staphylococcus aureus, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly referred to as MRSA. MRSA infections are a very common and difficult to treat source of hospital-acquired infections in the United States.
“Probiotics frequently are recommended as dietary supplements to improve digestive health,” said Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director of NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). “This is one of the first studies to describe precisely how they may work to provide health benefits. The possibility that oral Bacillus might be an effective alternative to antibiotic treatment for some conditions is scientifically intriguing and definitely worthy of further exploration.”
Click here to read more about this important NIH study.