US scientists have found a possible cure for MRSA from an unusual source, bullfrogs.
St Andrews University researchers have developed a treatment which kills the bacterium, the ingredient is ranalexin, produced by the frogs.
The team led by microbiologist Dr Peter Coote found ranalexin had an inhibitory effect on MRSA when combined with another antimicrobial compound.
Dr Coote, of the university's centre for biomolecular science said in his report that the findings represent a potentially novel way to combat MRSA via surface treatment or impregnation of wound dressings.
He goes on to say the development of new routes to target MRSA that do not result in the acquisition of resistance would greatly improve the ability of clinicians to tackle these infections more effectively and cheaply.
Combining antibiotics is a common way of targeting a wide spectrum of organisms and prevents the emergence of resistant strains.
The researchers found a positive effect against MRSA when combining ranalexin with the antimicrobial lysostaphin.
Ranalexin is an antimicrobial peptide, natural molecules that are produced by all living creatures as a defence against disease-causing pathogens.
The St Andrews University team hope that by impregnating dressings with the two compounds, the combination can be used as a novel and effective method to treat wounds infected by drug-resistant MRSA.
The research has already been patented and is published by the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.