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Boston: Stanford scientists have identified a molecule produced by intestinal bacteria that can inhibit the growth of Salmonella in the intestines, paving the way for new treatments to fight infections caused by contaminated food.
help explain why some people are better able to fight the infection caused by Salmonella bacteria and other intestinal pathogens.
Propionate, a byproduct of metabolism by a group of bacteria called Bacteroides, inhibits the growth of Salmonella in the intestinal tract of mice, according to researchers at Stanford University in the United States.
Researchers determined that propionate does not trigger the immune response to counteract the pathogen. Instead, the molecule prolongs the time required for the pathogen to begin dividing by increasing its internal acidity.
Salmonella infections often cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Most people recover within four to seven days. However, the disease can be severe enough to require the hospitalization of some patients.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salmonella causes about 1.2 million diseases, 23,000 hospitalizations and 450 deaths nationwide each year. "Humans differ in their response to exposure to bacterial infections: some people are infected and others do not, others get sick and others stay healthy," he says. others spread the infection while others eliminate it. Denise Monack, professor at Stanford
"What has been a real mystery to understand why we see these differences between people. Our discovery could shed light on this phenomenon, "said Monack, a senior author of" The gut microbiota is an incredibly complex ecosystem: billions of bacteria, viruses and fungi form complex interactions with the host and some with others in a heterogeneous and densely populated environment, "says Amanda. Jacobson, a graduate student at Stanford
"For this reason, it is very difficult to identify unique molecules of specific bacteria in the intestine that are responsible for specific characteristics such as resistance to pathogens," s He said:
Propionate acts on Salmonella by drastically lowering its intracellular pH and thus increasing the time it takes for the bacteria to begin to divide and grow, the study found [19659002] "Our results show that when concentrations of propionate, is produced by Bacteroides, in the intestine are elevated, Salmonella are unable to raise their internal pH to facilitate cellular functions required for growth," said Jacobson.
"Of course, we would like to know how this is translatable for humans," she said.
The results may also influence treatment strategies. Treatment of Salmonella infections sometimes requires the use of antibiotics, which can worsen the disease or food poisoning caused by the bacteria Salmonella, as it also kills the "good" bacteria that maintain the disease. Healthy bowel, according to Monack
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"Reducing the use of antibiotics is an added benefit because overuse of antibiotics leads to an increase in the incidence of antibiotic-resistant microbes," said Monack
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