According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a compound of formula (I): where, A is carbon, sulphur, oxygen or nitrogen B is carbon or nitrogen, X is oxygen or sulphur, Y is hydrogen, a halogen, a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic moiety, substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkyl, alkyloxy, alkylcarbonyl, alkyloxycarbonyl, alkenyl, alkenyloxy, alkenylcarbonyl, alkenyloxycarbonyl, alkynyl, alkynyloxy, alkynylcarbonyl, alkynyloxycarbonyl, aryl, benzyl, arlyoxy, arylcarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl and sulphur equivalents of said oxy, carbonyl and oxycarbonyl moieties Z is hydrogen, a halogen, a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic moiety, substituted or unsubstituted, linear or branched alkyl, alkylcarbonyl, alkyloxycarbonyl, alkenyl, alkenylcarbonyl, alkenyloxycarbonyl, alkynyl, alkynylcarbonyl, alkynyloxycarbonyl, aryl, benzyl, arylcarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, and sulphur equivalents of said carbonyl and oxycarbonyl moieties, excluding the compound where A and X are oxygen, B is nitrogen, Y is chlorine and Z is methyl. The invention also relates to the use of the compounds to prevent or ameliorate bacterial infections.