New antibiotics can keep the good ‘gut’ bacteria alive!

Now pop an antibiotic without losing the good gut bacteria.

By: Agencies | | Published: June 14, 2014 11:58 am

You may soon take antibiotics without fearing the loss of ‘good bacteria’ residing in the intestines. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland have discovered that populating the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of mice with Bacteroides species producing a specific enzyme helps protect the ‘good’ bacteria from the harmful effects of antibiotics.

‘The results are exciting as it might be possible to take antibiotics without suffering from the loss of your colonic microbiome and then becoming colonised by virulent pathogens,’ said lead researcher Usha Stiefel Case Western Reserve University.

The novel aspect of the research is that the enzyme produced by these bacteria, beta-lactamase, is a major cause of antibiotic resistance. When patients receive antibiotics, it is doubly dangerous when they lose their native colonic bacteria, because healthcare settings are full of resistant or particularly virulent bacteria.

‘So patients are especially vulnerable to acquiring these bacteria within their intestinal tracts,’ Stiefel said. Since the Bacteroides, which comprise roughly one quarter of the intestinal microbiome, are absent elsewhere in the body, the investigators believe that the beta-lactamase will not interfere with treatment of infections in other organ systems, such as in the respiratory tract, or the blood.

For example, beta-lactamase enzymes could be given orally as drugs, to protect the gut bacteria from systemic antibiotics. The research was published in the journal Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

Source IANS

For more articles on diseases & conditions , visit our diseases & conditions section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.

Published: June 14, 2014 11:58 am

Disclaimer: TheHealthSite.com does not guarantee any specific results as a result of the procedures mentioned here and the results may vary from person to person. The topics in these pages including text, graphics, videos and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only and not to be substituted for professional medical advice.

FICCI demands new national health policy

Water conservation is the need of the hour, says rural development minister

About The health Site

Useful Links