C. diff therapy (IMAGE)
Caption
Researchers are working to create an anti-germination drug that could be used to prevent C. diff in susceptible individuals before the infection starts. In a normal gut, the natural microbiota regulate bile salt content, which means spores that enter the gut can’t germinate due low content of bile salt and will thus exit the gut as spores. However, in antibiotic-treated individuals, the gut microbiome is disrupted, thus allowing more bile salt germinant content and C. diff spores to germinate into toxin producing vegetative cells. Anti-germinant compounds are meant to be a more potent germination inhibitor than any naturally found bile salt germination inhibitor, which could thus protect from C. diff spore germination in the gut.
Credit
Jacqueline Phan, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Usage Restrictions
No restrictions.
License
Public Domain