Scientifically Speaking | African ants found to provide self made antibiotics to treat injured comrades

As social animals, we take care of our sick. When there’s a case of a bacterial infection, doctors prescribe specific antibiotics as a treatment. This has been standard practice since the discovery of penicillin nearly a century ago. PREMIUM Matabele ants (Megaponera analis) are prevalent in the vast expanse of the African savanna, south of the Sahara, where they feed exclusively on a diet of termites(WikiCommons) Now, researchers led by Erik Frank at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in Germany have made a startling discovery.

A kind of ant found in Africa is a miniature medic that takes care of its injured and infected members by treating them with antibacterial compounds. The research was published on December 29, in the scientific journal, Nature Communications . Matabele ants ( Megaponera analis ) are prevalent in the vast expanse of the African savanna, south of the Sahara, where they feed exclusively on a diet of termites.

These ants often engage in fierce battles with soldier termites, leading to frequent injuries from the powerful mandibles of the termites. Untreated ants may perish. Living in densely packed communities, ants (like humans) can also spread infectious diseases among populations, leading to havoc. Some insects have developed strategies in which infected individuals leave the colony to die in isolation for the greater good.

However, this was not the case with Matabele ants. Earlier work published in 2017 in the journal Science Advances by Frank’s team had shown that up to 22% of Matabele ants that returned from hunts bore injuries, even losing one or two legs, mainly from battles with termites. Typically, a small cut in a tiny animal can lead to life threatening infections.

The observation that injured Matabele ants were surviving was puzzling. This discrepancy hinted at the possibility that these ants might have developed some form of effective wound treatment – a hypothesis that Frank’s team set out to explore in the current study. The breakthrough came after the team introduced soil teeming with disease causing microbes to experimentally injured ants to mimic natural wounds.

They found that these ants had significantly higher bacterial loads than those with sterile wounds. Frank’s team found that Matabele ants were able to distinguish between infected and non infected wounds among their injured. These ants then treat the injured with antibiotics they make themselves. The treatment process in these ants is meticulous.

When an ant is injured, its peers perform wound care using secretions from their metapleural gland, located on the side of their thorax. This gland produces a cocktail of chemical compounds, half of which are known to possess antimicrobial and wound healing properties. The nursing ants first collect these secretions with their forelegs, then apply them to the wound of the injured ant as treatment.

Chemical analysis showed that the hydrocarbon profile of the ant's cuticle changes after a wound infection, enabling the ants to detect and respond to these changes with their healing secretions. The effectiveness of this treatment is remarkable, with a 90% reduction in mortality for ants with infected wounds.

Describing the medical treatment by Matabele ants, Dr Frank notes, “With the exception of humans, I know of no other living creature that can carry out such sophisticated medical wound treatments." However, the implications of this discovery extend beyond the realm of ant survival. The primary bacterium found in the wounds of the ants, Pseudomonas aeruginosa , is also a major cause of human infections.

Some studies estimate that anywhere from 10% to 20% of all infections picked up in hospital settings are caused by this bacterium. Many strains of this bacterium are also superbugs which are hard to treat because they are resistant to current antibiotics. Could the natural defence mechanisms of Matabele ants lead to new treatments in people? In short, it is too early to say.

The secretions the ants use as treatment contain 112 chemical compounds and 41 proteins which need to be properly deciphered so we know which are antibacterial in nature. Only then can a proper analysis of their individual properties be performed. With that said, the research is indeed groundbreaking as it demonstrates that nature has evolved ways to deal with infections beyond our human centric approach.

Future research will help to elucidate wound treatment in other ant species and social insects. Anirban Mahapatra is a scientist by training and the author of COVID 19: Separating Fact From Fiction. He is currently finishing up his second popular science book. The views expressed are personal Unlock a world of Benefits with HT! From insightful newsletters to real time news alerts and a personalized news feed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Continue reading with HT Premium Subscription Daily E Paper I Premium Articles I Brunch E Magazine I Daily Infographics Subscribe Now @1199/year Already Subscribed? Sign In SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Share this article Share Via Copy Link Discovery Treatment.