Tasmanian Devil’s Milk Possible Weapon Against Super-bugs

The Sydney University researchers discovered a possible powerful antidote in Tasmanian Devil’s Milk against antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The milk from the marsupial animal contains essential peptides that seem to fight deadly infections including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus or MRSA.

Tasmanian Devils developed the milk’s useful component to help their offspring ward diseases and make them stronger in the process. They found an important element called cathelicidins, the infection-fighting factor in the marsupial milk. The Sydney University team initiated an endeavor to imitate the peptides.

Emma Peel, a Ph.D. student researcher said they found six important peptides. These peptides are present in other marsupial’s milk, which she mentioned are also worth studying. The student researcher said, “Tammar wallabies have eight of these peptides and opossums have 12”. She also said that research on koala’s milk is underway. Peel’s work was published in a Nature journal, Scientific Reports.

Thriving in Filth

Scientist believed that the Tasmanian Devil’s habitat served as a suitable sample for research since their offspring thrive in “relatively dirty environment”.

Only a few weeks into pregnancy, Tasmanian devil mothers give birth and the little marsupial snuggle in the mother’s pouch for the next four months.

The Australian researchers successfully imitated six Tasmanian devil’s peptides they discovered. They tested the newly formed peptides in 25 bacteria and six types of fungi.

Saha-CATH5

The Saha-CATH5, one of the synthetic peptides had a positive effect in fighting the MRSA virus. Most of the time, MRSA infection is harmless, numerous people carry the virus on their skin, nose, and throat. But if the virus enters thru an open wound, problems will start to occur. That is why people who stay longer in a hospital are at greater risk.

MRSA can only be treated with medications of combined antibiotics which can withstand resistant problems.

The Saha-CATH5 appears to work on Vancomycin-resistant enterococcus, another hard to kill resistance virus. It also performs well against a fungus called Candida, which usually cause skin infections.

Researchers say that by 2050, superbugs can kill one person every three seconds worldwide. This promotes the immediate need to discover new drugs to combat treatment-resistant infections.

According to Dr. Richard Stabler, “We need to do this hunting in unusual places for new antibiotics. People are beginning to explore and find new molecules”. Stabler is an Associate Professor in Molecular Bacteriology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine,

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Tasmania Slaughter Facility Under Investigation for Animal Cruelty

Tasmania, AUSTRALIA – Due to the acquired graphic content, shows the unlawful and prolonged painful suffering of pigs, sheep, and cows at Derwent valley, north of Hobart. The footage came from an anonymous source and was filmed last month.

Meanwhile, Tasmania’s Department of Primary Industries is now conducting an investigation if the said slaughterhouse violates Animal Welfare Act.

But, the operator strongly denied the accusations and insisted that their operation is lawful.

On the other hand, Spokeswoman Emma Hurst accused the slaughter house of animal cruelty based on the footage. “This is grotesque cruelty that we’re seeing here…and it’s completely unacceptable,” she said. “The footage shows animals being beaten with pipes, kicked in the head …there’s clearly failed attempts to stun the animals.”

Operator complains about ‘trespassing’

Michael Munning, the owner of Gretna Quality Meats was happy to be interviewed and invited the ABC into their slaughterhouse. It was a small-scale business that employed just three people.

He admitted that they are using a rifle in their operation but strongly denied the act of cruelty, and said he trusted his workers.

He also expressed his frustration and anger about filming the footage without their permission. “Actually, it’s very frustrating that somebody’s really went to the trouble of breaking into the property and actually putting up cameras,” he said. “It’s a small country abattoir, small country town; it’s just something that doesn’t happen.”

Vet says rifle used not appropriate

Dr. Andrew Nicholson, former meatworks head and a vet of 43 years, said he had some concerns based on the footage.

In a statement, he said, “I’m not a firearms expert but obviously the rifle, as it was used, that vision, was not suitable because from what I saw there were at least two shots taken…neither were effective,”

“That should be carried out as a single shot — the animal should drop immediately.

“Under the circumstances demonstrated in the vision … that’s not adequate.

“There was a lot of trouble restraining the animal effectively for the rifle to be used,”

Lastly, he said “In an abattoir situation there should be facilities that are adequate to move the animals from place to place, to be able to hold the animals in the facility and move them around with not having to use prods or steel bars,”

About the prolonged death and suffering of the animals on the said slaughter house, Dr. Nicholson said in one of the scenes from the footage that he saw some signs of breathing. However, he emphasized that it is hard to identify and not sure if the current procedures they are doing were effective.

“If you’re not used to that type of thing it can be quite distressing,” he said.

“The only comment I’d make on that is you couldn’t make an effective judgment without being present at the time of stunning … and neurologically examining that animal.

“The best-intentioned people can find it difficult if the facilities are not adequate and you can have the best facilities in the world, but if you haven’t got skilled staff available on the day, problems can occur,” he said.

Operator maintains animals were already dead

Mr. Munnings strongly insisted that the animals were already dead.

“A lot of the footage shows the nerve reaction from the animal and sometimes it can last up to two minutes, the nerves,” he said. “But the animals are already dead.”

The meatworks said it would be reporting the break-ins to the police.

It is not clear how long the department’s investigation will take.

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