The conventional wisdom on why some antibiotics don’t work rests on the concept of persistence. A small subset of bacteria sometimes hides out and escapes the effects of the drugs meant to kill them. These persisters can then come back with a vengeance and may no longer respond to the same antibiotic, the theory goes.
For example, antibiotics are only partially effective against infections caused by the Salmonella bacteria. The persistence of that infection can lead to other conditions, such as typhoid fever.
Researchers from the University of Basel challenge the persisters theory in a Nature article. If their theory holds true, scientists developing new antibiotics to “mop up” those recalcitrant bugs may want to reconsider their approach.
