Animals & nature · 2023
Do Megaponera analis ants apply antimicrobial substances to nestmates’ infected wounds?
Yes. In this ant species, workers apply gland secretions containing substances that fight microbes to nestmates’ infected wounds. The study reports a 90% reduction in mortality among infected ants, though the abstract does not specify the comparison group or the underlying death rates.
Details
Megaponera analis ants raid prey that fight back, and injuries are common. This study found that workers recognize infected wounds and treat them with antimicrobial compounds and proteins from a gland on their bodies.
The central finding is that this care reduces mortality among infected nestmates. The reported 90% reduction is a relative decrease in deaths, not a 90-percentage-point increase in survival. The abstract does not provide sample sizes or enough detail about the comparison to calculate the absolute survival benefit.
Chemical analyses also found that infection was associated with changes in the mixture of chemicals on the ants’ outer surface. The authors suggest that these changes help nestmates recognize infection and choose appropriate care, but the abstract does not establish that signaling mechanism conclusively. These findings concern wound care in this ant species, not a treatment tested in people.
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