In past columns we reviewed the benefits of protecting the amazing diversity of creatures found in the environment. Mother Nature is the most creative and persistent biochemist ever, as evidenced by the stunning array of life systems and chemical compounds that have evolved over eons, and evolution continues in ways that we may not always appreciate. It behooves us to understand the breadth of natural systems, to benefit wherever possible from the richness around us, and to avoid unanticipated problems.
At times it seems the natural world is an inherently dangerous place for us, one we should avoid at all costs. While memories of the COVID-19 pandemic have faded, we recall the entire world was panicked by a novel strain of an animal virus. Whether the lab in Wuhan, China, manipulated and lost control of the virus, or the virus managed to cross from pangolins and bats into humans, it was frightening for all. Scientists estimate that hundreds of variants of the virus have since emerged, with more than 7 million deaths worldwide.
News reports suggest that we are never far away from other potential threats. Parts of Africa have dealt with monkeypox virus for a few years, with a surge of cases in 2022, but improved health management and a new vaccine have kept deaths under 100. In February, reports surfaced from the Congo of a mystery disease linked to bats, with more than 1,000 infected patients and 60 deaths. The symptoms are similar to those of Ebola, a dangerous hemorrhagic virus, but fortunately the outbreak has been contained to date.
Closer to home, the 2021 avian influenza outbreak continues to roll, with February reports of two dozen waterfowl dead on Ogunquit Beach. What began as a mysterious illness in China has become a global concern, with 166 million U.S. domestic fowl lost already, plus untold numbers of wild birds, particularly ducks, geese and gulls. Egg prices have soared, but the worst may be ahead of us. This virus kills more than 75% of infected birds. It has now crossed into cattle and domestic cats, and ongoing mutations may become more dangerous for humans if appropriate health care is not readily available.
Yet the natural world is also a potential source of lifesaving compounds. This has been proven many times, going back to homeopathic medicines discovered by prehistoric people like the Neanderthals. Many folk remedies fail in detailed scientific studies, but others have yielded remarkable drug products that save lives.
The search goes on because we have so many unmet medical needs, particularly a growing need for novel antimicrobials to fight drug-resistant bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. The World Health Organization has called antimicrobial resistance “a major threat to public health” and estimates that it causes more than 5 million deaths each year.
While we overuse antimicrobials, microbes also have an amazing ability to mutate in the face of threats such as powerful antibiotics. While medical science achieved stunning success in lowering the incidence of tuberculosis, the disease is still with us and making a comeback in some areas. Bacteria like staphylococcus and E. coli have been reported up to 35% and 42% drug-resistant, respectively, in developing countries.
Help may come from the natural world, hopefully in time to prevent far more deaths. Scientists have long known that ocean creatures like marine mussels have novel mechanisms for fighting off deadly microbes in their environment. An online search yielded a paper by Bowdoin College researcher Ruby Ahaiwe, who studied hemocytes in the immune systems of American lobsters. A recent report from Australia in the science publication PLOS One points to a promising development.
Scientists studied the Sydney rock oyster, specifically a blood factor called hemolymph protein extract, since filter-feeding oysters thrive in microbially rich environments. The oyster extract was tested against staphylococcus and pseudomonad strains and showed an ability to disrupt biofilms and cell membranes, thereby killing the pathogenic microbes. Even better, when used in partnership with conventional antibiotics, the scientists documented an increase in efficacy up to 32-fold with no risk to human lung cells.
The hope is that this might eventually lead to improved antibiotics at lower doses, decreasing the risk of drug resistance. Success will require years of additional scientific analysis and multiple layers of clinical trials to demonstrate safety and efficacy in humans. Commercial manufacturing technology would also be required. The failure rate for such promising leads is high, but hope springs eternal.
(Editor’s note: To read Parts I and II of this series, click here.)
