Infection signaling and antimicrobial wound care in an ant society

Abstract

Infected wounds pose a major mortality risk in animals1,2. Injuries are common in the ant Megaponera analis, which raids pugnacious prey3,4. Here we show that M. analis can determine when wounds are infected and treat them accordingly. By applying a variety of antimicrobial compounds and proteins secreted from the metapleural gland to infected wounds, workers reduce the mortality of infected individuals by 90%. Chemical analyses showed that wound infection is associated with specific changes in the cuticular hydrocarbon profile, thereby likely allowing nestmates to diagnose the infection state of injured individuals and apply the appropriate antimicrobial treatment. This study demonstrates that the targeted use of antimicrobials to treat infected wounds, previously thought to be a uniquely human behavior, has evolved in insect societies as well.