Microbial polyketide for relapsing C. difficile infection

The polyketide chlorotonil A, derived from the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum, could help treat Clostridium difficile and prevent relapse by preventing spore outgrowth and selectively targeting Gram-positive bacteria, preserving the composition and colonization resistance of the host microbiome.

In a panel of C. difficile strains resistant to several antibiotics, the compound inhibited bacterial growth with a minimum inhibitory concentration and a minimum bactericidal concentration comparable to or lower than vancomycin's. ...