What's In Our Soil

Antibiotic resistance is a rapidly growing global public health crisis. As bacteria continue to evolve and develop resistance to commonly used antibiotics, treating infections becomes increasingly challenging. Compounding this issue, the discovery of new antibiotics has drastically slowed, nearly coming to a standstill since the 1980s. With fewer new treatment options and a rise in antibiotic-resistant pathogens, managing infections has become more difficult and, in some cases, life-threatening. Among the most concerning are ESKAPE pathogens—a group of bacteria known for their virulence and high resistance to antibiotics. These pathogens are responsible for many of the antibiotic-resistant infections and deaths seen in healthcare settings. A survey of soil organisms from Olathe, KS, was conducted, with samples diluted and cultured to identify potential antibiotic-producing candidates. An initial screen of 12 organisms was performed against non-pathogenic ESKAPE relatives to identify any with inhibitory effects. From these, one promising candidate—referred to as Candidate #11—was selected for further study due to its strong inhibitory activity against Enterococcus faecalis and Enterobacter aerogenes. Candidate #11 has been identified as a Gram-negative rod, making it a potential source for future antibiotic development.