Caterpillars could help fight human health threat

Scientists have found a new antibiotic-resistant bacteria inside moth larvae and hope their research will improve human health.

Harriet Gooch, a researcher at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, said: "Any time you find an antibiotic-resistant bacteria, you want to know what it is and how it works, so that if you see it in the clinic, you can fight it."

The unexpected discovery was made as scientists studied bacteria in the guts of the larvae, which share immune system similarities with humans.

The scientists said the research could be important to understanding our own health and was quicker, cheaper and more ethical than studying animals such as mice.