Striking back at superbugs

WAYS of tackling MRSA and other hospital infections were to be discussed in the city today.

The Society for General Microbiology's 162nd meeting was to start at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

One technique involves "fighting fire with fire" – using one type of bacteria to kill the bacteria causing the hospital virus.

Janice Spencer, of Strathclyde University, said: "Some bacteria specific viruses – called bacteriophages – have been used in the past to help clear up infections caused by bacteria, but their use died out when antibiotics like penicillin and methicillin became widely available.

"We are looking at them again now that multiple antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria have become such a problem."