Story highlights Scientists delve into the human nose in search of antibiotic that can kill superbugs

MRSA and other drug-resistant bugs are an increasing problem for medicine

(CNN) Scientists searching for a solution to ever-resistant, infection-causing bacteria may have found an answer much closer to home than expected -- up our noses.

Researchers from the University of Tubingen in Germany have discovered that a nose-dwelling bacteria, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, produces a chemical called lugdunin. The chemical is "bactericidal against major pathogens," and -- crucially -- not prone to developing a resistance in the bugs that it kills.

"Despite the urgent need for new antibiotics that are effective against resistant bacteria, very few compounds are in development," the research, published in the scientific journal Nature says, adding that the majority of the ones that are are rehashes of existing antibiotics.

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While antibiotics have been credited with revolutionizing the field of medicine, their use comes at a price.

Many pathogens have developed a resistance to our current stock of weaponry, rendering them ever-less effective and in some cases -- such as the so-called "superbug" MRSA, or Staphylococcus aureus -- can be life-threatening.

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