Antibiotics: What protects the lungs of the UAW?

The use of antibiotics is clinically necessary in the treatment of many diseases. An undesirable side effect is the weakening of the body's natural bacterial flora. This can increase the risk of infection, for example in the lungs.

Why Pseudomonas bacteria do they easily

One of the main causes of pneumonia is the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mechanisms favoring Pseudomonas infections after antibiotic therapy were studied by Prof. Bastian Opitz and his team of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Pulmonology of Charité .

Researchers have been able to demonstrate that the disruption of bacterial flora by antibiotics leads to reduced production of certain antibodies in the lungs. These IgA antibodies are an important defense option for the immune system against infections. Antibiotics weaken the defense system of the lungs and facilitate the infection of the lungs by Pseudomonas bacteria. This effect has now been demonstrated in an observational study with patients in intensive care units.

The team has already succeeded in reducing the susceptibility to Pseudomonas lung infection with specially formulated IgA antibodies in the animal model, "We want to better understand the influence of antibiotics on bacterial flora natural and how that affects the defense mechanisms of the body, especially the lungs, "says Opitz. "And we want to study how and in which IgA-form antibodies can be used preventively as well as therapeutically."

The text is based on a press release from Charity – Universitätsmedizin Berlin