Has MRSA finally met its match?

• Position: YOUR LIFE - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

A common vitamin may have the potential to provide a powerful weapon to fight certain "superbugs," antibiotic-resistant staph infections that are seen as a threat to public health. The research, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, found that high doses of the nicotinamide form of vitamin B3 stimulated a specific gene (CEBPE), enhancing white blood cells' ability to combat staph infections, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or MRSA.

With research ongoing, including possible clinical trials in humans, the scientists caution consumers not to treat a suspected infection by taking vitamin B3. Instead, a physician should be consulted.

"It's critical that we find novel antimicrobial approaches to treat infection and not rely so heavily on antibiotics," says George Liu, a pediatric infectious disease physician and co-senior author of the study. "That's why this discovery is so exciting. Our research indicates this common vitamin is potentially effective in fighting off and protecting against one of today's most concerning public health threats."

Staph infections commonly cause serious, sometimes life-threatening, illness. Health officials fear that indiscriminate use of antibiotics has undercut their effectiveness, leading to the rapid rise and proliferation of resistant germs.

In laboratory tests with human blood, scientists found that vitamin B3 increased by up to 1,000-fold the ability of the immune system to kill staph bacteria. Beyond that, the study indicates that similar targeting of the CEBPE...