Tag

Matabeleants

All articles tagged with #matabeleants

science-and-environment2 years ago•3 min saved

"Ants' Advanced Medical Tactics: Treating Wounds with Self-Produced Antibiotics"

Matabele ants (Megaponera analis) have been observed providing sophisticated medical care to their injured nestmates, treating wounds with a variety of antibiotic substances produced from their metapleural gland. Research led by Dr. Erik Frank revealed that these ants can discriminate between infected and non-infected wounds, particularly targeting the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is a common cause of death in injured ants. The ants' ability to produce and apply antimicrobial compounds effectively increases the survival rate of wounded individuals within the colony. This discovery has implications for understanding antibiotic properties and resistance, and the study has been published in Nature Communications and featured in Netflix's "Life On Our Planet."

via IFLScience|

##antibiotics #bacterialinfections

science-and-environment2 years ago•3 min saved

"Matabele Ants: Insect Medics Using Antibiotics to Heal Wounds"

Matabele ants (Megaponera analis) have been observed treating their nestmates' infected wounds with self-produced antibiotics, a behavior reported by researchers from the University of Würzburg and the University of Lausanne. These ants can distinguish between infected and non-infected wounds and apply antimicrobial compounds from their metapleural gland, significantly reducing mortality rates by 90%. This discovery, detailed in Nature Communications, not only highlights a sophisticated form of animal healthcare but also has potential implications for human medicine, as the ants combat pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which also affect humans. The ants' unique medical behavior has been featured in the Netflix documentary "Life on Our Planet."

via Phys.org|

##animalbehavior #antibiotics