In a new study, researchers found a strain of adherent-invasive E-coli (AIEC) that is strongly implicated in Crohn’s disease and is often found in the intestines of people with the condition.
They believe that AIEC is a potential trigger of Crohn’s disease.
The research was conducted by a team at McMaster University.
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It causes inflammation of your digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition.
Inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease can involve different areas of the digestive tract in different people.
Previous studies found that when they examined the gut lining of patients with Crohn’s disease, around 70% to 80% of them test positive for AIEC bacteria.
In the study, the team pinpointed which genes allowed the bacteria to freely colonize the gut linings of people with Crohn’s disease.
AIEC bacteria grow in a biofilm that coats cells lining the intestinal wall, protecting them from both the immune system and antibiotics.
The team identified a critical protein structure on the surface of the bacteria that allow them to grow in biofilms.
They say Crohn’s disease is caused by the immune system’s inability to “switch off” its inflammatory response to gut bacteria.
Current treatments focus on easing the inflammation but do not address the root cause of the condition.
The researchers are one step closer to figuring out how this Crohn’s disease-associated bacteria live in the gut and when we do that, we can develop new treatments.
The study is published in Nature Communications. One author of the study is Brian Coombes.
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