Stockholm: Researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet have announced a potential breakthrough in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, local media reported on Monday. In a significant development, the team has demonstrated that combining antibiotics with an enzyme called endolysin can effectively eliminate infections caused by penicillin-resistant pneumococcal bacteria in mice. According to Anadolu Agency, the study revealed that mice with meningitis, when treated with this combination, fully recovered without exhibiting any symptoms. Federico Iovino, an associate professor of medical microbiology at Karolinska Institutet, expressed his satisfaction with the results: 'The animals that received the treatment survived without any symptoms - it felt absolutely fantastic.' The rise of bacteria resistant to existing antibiotics poses a growing challenge in Sweden and globally, complicating the treatment of illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. Iovino cautioned that in the next two to three decades, anti biotic-resistant bacteria could become the leading cause of death worldwide, surpassing cancer. The study highlighted that endolysin, derived from bacteriophages-viruses that target bacteria-enabled antibiotics to regain their efficacy against resistant strains. Remarkably, the researchers found that the enzyme reached the brain within hours in mice, offering hope for future treatment options for bacterial meningitis in humans. Iovino emphasized the urgency of effective treatment: 'Patients need effective treatment within a maximum of two days; otherwise, severe neurological complications or even death can occur.' The research team is now planning the next phase of their study, which will focus on examining endolysin's impact on other types of resistant bacteria.