Researchers believe that new antibiotics can be discovered from the fur of Costa Rican sloths

Scientists are exploring the possibility of discovering new antibiotics from the fur of sloths found in Costa Rica, as these animals seem to be resistant to infections. Researchers are hoping to find a solution to the growing problem of ‘superbugs,’ which have become resistant to the medicines currently available to us. Max Chavarria, a researcher from the University of Costa Rica, collected fur samples from sloths at a sanctuary to examine in his laboratory, where he has already discovered 20 candidate microorganisms.

However, there is still a long way to go before these compounds could be useful for humans. The sloth’s fur hosts various communities of microbes, but some could pose disease risks. The sloth’s unique biotope of insects, algae, and bacteria in their coats may hold the key to their ability to avoid infections.

Chavarria has taken fur samples from both two-toed and three-toed sloths to study the existence of antibiotic-producing bacteria that can control the proliferation of potentially pathogenic bacteria or inhibit other competitors such as fungi. Although sloths are a major tourist attraction in Costa Rica, their populations have declined, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.

Judy Avey, an American who runs a sanctuary in the jungle to care for injured sloths, has never received a sick or infected sloth in her 30 years of operation, suggesting that there may be something in their bodily ecosystem that protects them from diseases. Sloths are mostly found hanging from tall trees in cloud and rain forests, and their slow movement helps to avoid detection by predators.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Microbiology, sheds light on the sloth’s unique biotope, which could be instrumental in discovering new antibiotics. However, researchers warn that there is still a long road ahead before this can become a reality. Sloths are a national symbol of Costa Rica, and their discovery could offer hope in the fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs.