The new virus is thought to eliminate dormant bacteria, providing significant hope against the predicted 10 million annual deaths expected by 2050.
When bacteria encounter a lack of nutrients or experience stress induced by the antibiotics, they undergo a regulated shutdown of their metabolism, entering a dormant resting state.
This ETH Zurich-led discovery significantly advances addressing the global superbug crisis.
The researchers state that this newly identified virus can effectively attack these dormant bacteria when paired with drugs.