New antibiotic combination treatment to save 2 Cystic fibrosis patient life

Researchers at Aston University has developed a new combination of antibiotics that helps in saving the life of cystic fibrosis patient.

Dr Jonathan Cox, senior lecturer in microbiology in Aston University's College of Health and Life Sciences and his team discovered this combination of antibiotics.

Imipenem/Relebactam with amoxicillin was used as a combination and it was discovered that this combination is highly effective against potentially deadly Mycobacterium abscessus - a bacterium that can cause serious lung infections in people with various chronic lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis.

A cystic fibrosis patient, received the Aston University combination of antibiotics as part of a complex treatment regime, including an experimental therapy known as phage therapy, which uses viruses to treat bacterial infections.

The combination successfully treated the patient's infection and resulted in their being able to receive a life-saving lung transplant.

The research has been published in the journal Cell, and states: "The combination of phage and antibiotics did not result in greater antibiotic resistance." This means that the combined treatment was successful. And infection was eradicated and enabled the patient to receive the lifesaving lung transplant.