Scientists from the Institute of Biology in Bucharest have discovered a strain of bacteria, Psychrobacter SC65A.3, in a Romanian ice cave. It survived in permafrost for five millennia. Despite such long isolation, the microbe shows complete resistance to ten modern antibiotics used in today's medicine. This sensational find sheds new light on the evolution of pathogen defense mechanisms and could become a key to developing new drugs.

Isolation of an Ancient Pathogen

The Psychrobacter SC65A.3 strain was extracted from a Romanian cave, having remained frozen in perpetual ice for 5,000 years.

Astonishing Drug Resistance

The microorganism shows insensitivity to 10 antibiotics currently used to combat tuberculosis or intestinal inflammation.

New Hope for Medicine

The bacterium inhibits the development of other superpathogens, which may help in developing new next-generation antibiotics.

Researchers from the Romanian Academy made an extraordinary discovery in the Scărișoara ice cave, located in the Apuseni Mountains. From ice layers dated to 5,000 years ago, they isolated a bacterial strain named Psychrobacter SC65A.3. This organism, though trapped in ice long before the pyramids of Giza were built, exhibits astonishing resistance to ten types of modern antibiotics. Among the drugs to which the bacterium does not respond are agents used to treat serious conditions such as tuberculosis, intestinal inflammation, or urinary tract infections. The research results were published in the prestigious journal "Frontiers in Microbiology". Natural antibiotic resistance is a phenomenon much older than modern medicine. For millions of years, microorganisms have competed with each other in extreme environments, producing toxic substances and protective mechanisms against them, which forms the foundation of their evolution. Although the discovery of a "super-microbe" from the past may cause concern, scientists emphasize its enormous potential for modern pharmacology. The Psychrobacter SC65A.3 bacterium has the ability to inhibit the growth of other pathogens, making it an unexpected ally in the fight against the antibiotic crisis. By studying its genome, doctors can understand how resistance developed without contact with synthetic drugs. <przypis title=