The Environmental Illness Resource Blog

Fecal microbial transplantation found to be possible treatment

Ricardo — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 10:35:49 +0100

The phase I clinical trial of the procedure was conducted by members of the Pediatric Specialty Department of the Spectrum Health Medical Group at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, the first in the country to study FMT in children. FMT is a process that involves infusion of human stool from a healthy donor into the intestine of the patient in an attempt to restore healthy microbial flora in the intestines of the patient. When used to treat a disease, human stool constitutes a dru...

Poor Results Achieved With Fecal Transplantation for Ulcerative Colitis

Ricardo — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 10:31:43 +0100

Only one of five patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) who were treated with fecal transplantation (FT) experienced clinical and endoscopic improvements following the procedure, according to an abstract presented at the 2012 United European Gastroenterology Week (abstract P374).

Lead investigator Walter ...

Why some people get spots and others don't: Scientists discover the 'bad' bacteria that gives ...

Ricardo — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:00:38 +0100

Everyone's skin carries acne-causing bacteria, of which there are 'good' and 'bad' strains
Having too much 'bad' bacteria is what causes acne
Findings could pave the way for new treatments

Editor’s Comment: This study builds on previous research demonstrating abnormal bacterial gut flora in ME/CFS patients. In addition to causing numerous gastrointestinal symptoms, prior studies have found that abnormal gut flora in ME/CFS patients is linked to cognitive dysfunction (Maes and De Meirleir). This is the first study to demonstrate a complete remission of symptoms in a significant percentag...

Good Bacteria May Expunge Vancomycin-Resistant Bacteria from Your Gut

Ricardo — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:41:02 +0100

Too much antibiotic can decimate the normal intestinal microbiota, which may never recover its former diversity. That, in turn, renders the GI tract vulnerable to being colonized by pathogens. Now researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, and Centro Superior de Investigación en Salud Pública, Valencia, Spain, show that reintroducing normal microbial diversity largely eliminated vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) from the intes...

Could An Antibiotic From Human Sweat Fight Hospital Superbugs And TB?

Ricardo — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:00:08 +0100

An antibiotic created from human sweat might fight off hospital superbugs and deadly strains of tuberculosis, scientists reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers, from Scotland, Germany, France and Spain explained that a protein found on human skin - Dermcidin - is activated in sweat (slig...

Scientists find key to growth of 'bad' bacteria in inflammatory bowel disease

Ricardo — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:25:23 +0100

Scientists have long puzzled over why "bad" bacteria such as E. coli can thrive in the guts of those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), causing serious diarrhea. Now UC Davis researchers have discovered the answer—one that may be the first step toward finding new and better treatments for IBD.

The res...

X-ray device traps airborne pathogens and neutralizes them

Ricardo — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:16:47 +0100

Help may be on the way for people with compromised immune systems, severe allergies, or who otherwise have to be wary of airborne nasties. A team of scientists have created something known as a soft x-ray electrostatic precipitator, or an SXC ESP for short. It filters all manner of bacteria, allergens, viruses, and ultraf...

SCIENTISTS HOME IN ON KILLER BUG

Ricardo — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:12:57 +0100

UK scientists have discovered a secret ‘Sat Nav’ that enables them to identify and zap a potential killer bug in the body’s system.

Researchers at the Institute of Food Research (IFR) on the Norwich Research Park have uncovered how the food-borne bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni can change...

IBM says it has tool to kill deadly drug-resistant superbugs

Ricardo — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:57:21 +0100

Working with the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Big Blue has come up with a "hydrogel" that can beat back the bacteria that cause many deadly infections.

It's probably rubbish.....but i thought i would let you all read this..........

“Robogut” helps Guelph microbiologist hunts for links between the digestive tract and disease

Ricardo — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:48:22 +0100

The framework of glass, steel and plastic tubing doesn’t look much like a human gut. Its soft clicks and grinding noises don’t sound like one either.

Pandas have made the leap—from purveyors of cuddly viral YouTube videos to potential life-saving creatures. Turns out the blood of these fuzzy, enigmatic bears may be the key to a potent new antibiotic for humans.

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, demonstrate that an altered gut microbiota in humans is associated with symptomatic atherosclerosis and stroke. These findings are presented in a study published in Nature Communications on December 4.

The hu...

Is a Stomach Bacteria the Cause of Baby Colic?

Ricardo — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:58:24 +0100

If you’ve ever taken care of a crying baby, you know how miserable it can be when you can’t seem to console this bundle of love and what’s-supposed-to-be joy. Now, imagine those moments amplified times ten, and prolonged for hours on end…every day…for weeks or ...

Scientists develop probiotic to target tumours

Ricardo — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:56:31 +0100

Scientists develop probiotic to target tumours

By Claire O’Sullivan

A new study on monkeys with chronic diarrhea that were treated by microscopic parasite worm (helminth) eggs has provided insights on how this form of therapy may heal the intestine. This condition in monkeys is similar to the inflammatory bowel diseases that affects up to 1.4 million Americans.

Chimp and Human Gut Bacteria Nearly Identical

Ricardo — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:22:49 +0100

Humans share about 99 percent of our genomes with chimpanzees. Now, research finds we share something else: gut bacteria.