Oyster a day keeps respiratory bugs away, scientific breakthrough finds

A ground-breaking discovery suggests that Sydney Rock Oysters could aid in the battle against superbugs.

A Southern Cross University study has found oyster blood to have anti-viral properties that kill bacteria and also help increase the effectiveness of antibiotics.

The discovery means natural products derived from oysters could be used to treat bacterial infections.

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"Most organisms have natural defence mechanisms to protect themselves against infection," Professor Kirsten Benkendorff from the university's Faculty of Science and Engineering said.

"Oysters are constantly filtering bacteria from the water, so they are a good place to look for potential antibiotics."

The study also found that Sydney Rock Oyster hemolymph proteins were not toxic to human lungs, suggesting it could be possible to create a safe dosage to fight against respiratory infections.

A previous study already identified that the proteins inhibit a bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes infections like pneumonia and tonsilitis.

Scientists say the discovery is significant in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

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Usually, bacteria can escape antibiotics and the immune system by forming clusters called Biofilms, which enclose themselves in a protective layer.

However, the team at Southern Cross Univerisity found that Sydney Rock Oyster hemolymph can kill bacteria even when it's formed a biofilm.

"The oyster hemolymph proteins were found to prevent biofilm formation and disrupt biofilms, so the bacteria remain available to antibiotic exposure at lower doses," said Benkendorff.

"The hemolymph contains a mixture of proteins with known antimicrobial properties. These may act to directly kill the bacteria, as well as preventing them from attaching to the cell surface."

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Scientists say new antibiotics are desperately needed, but a new antibiotic drug made from oyster blood is still far away.

"It provides great opportunities for collaboration between researchers, aquaculture and pharmaceutical industries," said Benkendorff.

"In the meantime, slurping oysters could help keep the respiratory bugs away.

"Oysters contain zinc which boosts the immune system and they have really good polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins that also help modulate immunity."

Antibiotics have been the backbone of bacterial infection treatment since the early 20th century, but bacteria have developed resistance to many mainstream antibiotics due to overuse and misuse of the drugs.