A bacteria that inhibits the growth of Salmonella may be a promising new treatment for people sickened by food poisoning, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine say.
They say the molecule propionate, the byproduct of a bacteria called Bacteroides, serves as natural protection against Salmonella, one of the most common intestinal pathogens, in the intestinal tract of mice.
Salmonella, which causes cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, triggers about 1.2 million illnesses a year. But propionate inhibits that growth and may help explain why some people are better able to fight food poisoning.
“Humans differ in their response to exposure to bacterial infections. Some people get infected and some don’t, some get sick and others stay healthy, and some spread the infection while others clear it,” said Denise Monack, a professor of microbiology and immunology who worked on the study.
“These findings will have a big impact on controlling disease transmission.”
The scientists revealed their findings this week in a paper titled Cell Host and Microbe.
The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Paul Allen Stanford Discovery Center on Systems Modeling of Infection and the National Science Foundation.
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