Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections have become a significant burden in the healthcare setting. Infections with MRSA can cause wound infections, blood stream infections (sepsis), damage to heart valves (infective endocarditis) and joint infections. These infections can lead to death or significant long term effects on patients. Resistance to current antibiotic therapies makes treatment of these infections difficult. Currently, vancomycin is used in the treatment of MRSA, however, resistance is also emerging to vancomycin. We have identified two compounds which are more effective at killing MRSA than vancomycin. This project aims to investigate similar compounds to see if we can understand how they work, and to identify how they are killing the MRSA. This will help to progress these compounds towards use in the clinic which will mean greater treatment options for patients with infections with resistant strains.
