Scientists have discovered a deadly superbug hiding in humans

Scientists studying the superbug Staphylococcus aureus have found that it can turn into a "monster" causing dangerous infections. Also, certain strains of this bacterium are resistant to drugs.

In a new study published in eLife, scientists have revealed some details about how they manage to hide in human cells and avoid attacks by the immune system.

For the new study, they used a new technique they developed called InToxSa (which stands for intracellular toxicity of S. Aureus). This allowed them to study the behavior of Staphylococcus aureus in human cells in more detail, ScienceAlert reports.

Read also: Clouds can carry drug-resistant bacteria - scientists

Scientists believe that to stop S. aureus from "killing people," we need to learn more about how these bacteria prevent the immune system from destroying them.

Thanks to the new InToxSa technology, it was possible to make Staphylococcus aureus bacteria less harmful.

The researchers write that Staphylococcus aureus is often considered an extracellular pathogen, which is a free-living microbe that can cause disease without penetrating its host's cells.

But it's not exclusively extracellular, they add, noting that Staphylococcus aureus can also survive and multiply in host cells. This tactic can kill host cells, but it helps the bacteria avoid detection by the host's immune system.

Using InToxSa, the researchers studied 387 strains of Staphylococcus aureus in patients and identified specific mutations that make S. aureus less toxic.

Read also: Scientists: African rats can "seal" their vaginas if they don't want children

"InToxSa is a powerful tool that combines genetic analysis, microbiological data, and statistical comparisons," explained one of the researchers, molecular microbiologist Tim Stinear from the University of Melbourne's Doherty Institute.

The researchers note that they will now be able to better understand how Staphylococcus aureus causes so much harm to people, and subsequently they hope to find "better ways to prevent and treat the infection."

Earlier, physicists estimated that the impact of human activity on the Earth could lead to irreparable climate chaos

If you want to get the latest news about the war and events in Ukraine, subscribe to our Telegram channel!