For almost two millennia, the Roman Baths in Bath, UK have been a place of fascination for visitors from all over the world, not only because of their relevance historical and cultural, but now also for its surprising microbial diversity.
A new study published in the journal The Microbe revealed that the hot springs of this iconic site house a vast range of microorganisms that could play a crucial role in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
The scientists of the Plymouth University, In collaboration with the staff of the Roman Baths, they collected water, sediment and biofilm samples from different areas of the resort, including King’s Spring (where waters reach around 45°C) and Great Bath, where temperatures approach 30°C. Using cutting-edge sequencing technology and traditional cultivation techniques, they identified around 300 different types of bacteria. Among the most prominent groups are the Actinobacteria and Myxococcotaknown for their ability to produce antibiotics.
The analysis of the samples was carried out using next generation DNA sequencing, which allowed the researchers to obtain a detailed profile of the bacterial and archaeal communities present in the hot springs. Furthermore, they used cultivation techniques to isolate individual bacteria and evaluate their antibiotic activity. These combined methods provided a comprehensive view of microbial diversity and its therapeutic potential.
The study not only cataloged the variety of microorganisms present, but also identified 15 bacterial isolates, including examples of Proteobacteria and Firmicuteswhich showed variable levels of inhibition against human pathogens such as E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella flexneri. These findings suggest that Bath’s hot springs could be a rich source of new antimicrobials, crucial at a time when antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to global health.
The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance represents one of the most important challenges for the global health currently. In this context, the microorganisms found in the Roman Baths of Bath offer renewed hope for the development of new antibiotics. The recent study published in The Microbe highlights the potential of these microorganisms in the fight against resistant pathogens.
Tests carried out with these bacterial isolates have shown promising results. The microorganisms were subjected to inhibition tests to determine its effectiveness against various human pathogens. The results showed that certain isolates have a considerable potential to develop new antimicrobial agents. This finding is particularly relevant given the current context, where bacterial resistance to traditional medicines is responsible for more than 1.25 million deaths per year worldwide.
The research notes that although these discoveries are encouraging, a significant amount of additional research is needed before the microorganisms from the Roman Baths can be clinically applied.
The research was carried out by students and academics of the School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Biological and Marine Sciences at the University of Plymouth, in collaboration with the staff of the Roman Baths. This alliance combined specialist knowledge in biology and microbiology with unique access to Bath’s historic hot springs.
He Dr. Lee Hutt, Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Plymouth, led the study and highlighted the importance of this collaboration to achieve significant advances in the identification of new antimicrobials. “This is really important and very exciting research. “Antimicrobial resistance is recognized as one of the most important threats to global health, and the search for new natural antimicrobial products is accelerating.”
“This study has demonstrated for the first time some of the microorganisms present in Roman baths, revealing them as a potential source of new antimicrobial discoveries. It is no small irony that the waters of Roman baths have long been considered by its medicinal properties and now, thanks to the advances of modern sciencewe might be about to discover that the Romans and others since then They were right”, added the expert.
The co-author of the study, Zofia Matyjaszkiewicz, Director of Collections at the Roman Baths, noted that “people have visited the springs of Bath for thousands of years, worshiping, bathing and drinking its waters over the centuries. Even in Victorian times, the Bath spa treatment center used raw water. natural springs for its healing properties perceived in all types of showers, baths and treatments. “It’s really exciting to see cutting-edge scientific research like this being carried out here, in a place with so many stories to tell.”
