Antibiotics make lungs vulnerable to flu by killing gut bacteria

Without antibiotics, even common diseases can become potentially life threatening. But it has its drawbacks too. Experts say that it can increase our risk of flu by killing gut bacteria.

Jahnavi Sarma | Updated: July 6, 2019 8:18 pm

Antibiotics affect the signals sent from gut bacteria that help to maintain a first line of defence in the lining of the lungs. © Shutterstock

The literal translation of antibiotic is ‘against life’. These medicines fight bacterial infections. Antibiotics kill bacteria in the body and also prevent them from replicating. It was discovered in the 1920s but was available over-the-counter only since the 1940s and it has since been used to fight many health conditions successfully. It led to increased life expectancy and reduced the fear of deadly infections.

However, due to overuse and abuse, many bacteria have developed antibiotic resistance. This is an alarming complication as it can increase fatalities in many diseases. Now a study says that antibiotics can leave the lungs vulnerable to flu viruses. This can lead to significantly worse infections and symptoms.

Antibiotics can put us at the mercy of the flu virus: Experts

According to researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, antibiotics affect the signals sent from gut bacteria that help to maintain a first line of defence in the lining of the lungs. They chose some mice with healthy gut bacteria and infected them with flu. They saw that around 80 per cent of mice survived. But, only a third survived when they were given antibiotics before being infected with flu. Researchers also saw that antibiotics wiped out early flu resistance.

This proves that inappropriate use not only promotes antibiotic resistance and kills helpful gut bacteria, but it may also leave us more vulnerable to viruses. This could be relevant not only in humans but also agricultural products and livestock since almost all farms globally use antibiotics indiscriminately. This study was published in Cell Reports.

Effects of antibiotics on the lungs

As with all medications, antibiotics too is known to have certain side-effects. It also affects the lungs by increasing the risk of pulmonary fibrosis. However, the situation is different for different people.

Certain antibiotics can cause a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. This can give you a rapid heartbeat and you may feel uneasy and restless. It constricts the airways, leading to difficulty breathing. Swelling of the throat may block the airways in severe cases. Fluid can seep into the lungs and this can lead to pulmonary oedema. This is a life threatening condition and you need to consult a doctor immediately.

Overuse of antibiotics can also cause breathing problems suddenly or it can happen over time with long time use of this medication. But if you stop the medication immediately, you can prevent severe damage to lung tissues. However, in some people, it can cause lasting lung damage.

Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid), a commonly prescribed antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections, is being increasingly linked to both acute and chronic lung injury. Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim), a sulfonamide-containing antibiotic used for bacterial infections, also causes interstitial lung disease.

Antibiotics and their effect on gut bacteria

It is very important to maintain a proper balance of healthy gut flora. But thanks to the anti-bacterial properties of antibiotics, our guts might not be as healthy as before and this can cause chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, asthma and gut inflammatory disorders. Thus, healthy gut bacteria improves overall health and prevents chronic diseases.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Steno Diabetes Center, Copenhagen, in a study, administered 3 antibiotics to young healthy men for 4 days. This caused an almost complete eradication of gut bacteria, followed by a gradual recovery of most bacterial species over a period of six months. However, even after six months, nine of the most common beneficial bacteria was missing. The findings were published in Nature Microbiology.

Importance of gut bacteria

Did you know that upto 1,000 species of bacteria are perfectly at home in the human gut? And, most of them help us live a healthy life. In fact, some of them help you survive.

Gut bacteria helps you digest foods like milk and fibre. It regulates your body’s immune function and helps control brain health. In short, it is essential for you to have healthy gut bacteria because it affects the body from birth till death by controlling digestion of food, the immune system, the central nervous system and other bodily processes.

A healthy gut bacteria can prevent irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. It has a positive effect on the heart and can help bring down blood sugar. It can also help to improve brain health by producing chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. The gut produces the antidepressant neurotransmitter Serotonin .

How can we ensure healthy gut bacteria?

Healthy gut bacteria is very important for health and any imbalance between unhealthy and healthy microbes in the intestines may contribute to weight gain, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and other disorders.

More than 40 trillion bacteria have made your body their home. And, most of them are in your intestines. Though some of them can cause diseases, most benefit overall health. To ensure healthy gut bacteria, you need to eat a diverse range of nutritional foods. Go shopping for lots of fruits and vegetables. You can include raspberries, green peas, broccoli, chickpeas, lentils, beans and whole grains in your diet. Eat a lot of fermented and probiotic foods. Foods rich in polyphenols will also help.

Be sure to fuel your body with enough plant-based foods and cut back on fat and sugar. Also, limit your intake of artificial sweeteners because it can increase blood sugar by stimulating the growth of unhealthy bacteria like Enterobacteriaceae in the gut.

Published: July 6, 2019 5:59 pm | Updated:July 6, 2019 8:18 pm

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