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MONDAY 12th DECEMBER 2011

Faecal transplants used to cure Clostridium difficile
Transplanting faecal matter from one person to another - the thought might turn your stomach, but it could be lifesaving. Some doctors are using the procedure to repopulate the gut with healthy bacteria, which can become unbalanced in some diseases. (BBC)

MONDAY 14th NOVEMBER 2011

Botulism warning over Loyd Grossman korma sauce
People are being advised not to eat certain jars of Loyd Grossman korma sauce after two people in Scotland were taken to hospital with botulism. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it was a manufacturer's decision.
"Only one jar from the batch is known to have been contaminated with the bacteria clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism," said the FSA.
The batch is 350g jars with a best before date of February 2013, and a batch code of 1218R 07:21.
The FSA said two members of the same family had contracted botulism after eating a meal made with the sauce and had been taken to hospital.  Their condition now is not known.

Botulism is caused by a bacterium, which attacks the nervous system. It is not contagious.  Symptoms include blurred vision, difficulty swallowing and may progress to general muscle weakness.  Botulism poisoning presents symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after eating the contaminated food.  It is easily treated if a doctor or hospital is notified early. (BBC)

MONDAY 5th SEPTEMBER 2011

Soil bacteria helps kill cancers
A bacterium found in soil is a showing promise as a way of delivering cancer drugs into tumours. Spores of the Clostridium sporogenes bacterium can grow within tumours because there is no oxygen. UK and Dutch scientists have been able to genetically engineer an enzyme into the bacteria to activate a cancer drug. Experts said it would be some time before the potential benefits of the work - presented to the Society of Microbiology - were known. The work is being presented to the society's autumn conference at the University of York.

The spores grow only within solid tumours, such as breast, brain and prostate tumours and not in other tissue in the body, where oxygen is present. Researchers have been investigating the possibilities of clostridium "vectors" to deliver cancer drugs for decades.
The scientists from the University of Nottingham and Maastricht University were able to genetically engineer an improved version of an enzyme into C.sporogenes. In animal tests, a drug was also injected into the bloodstream which becomes active only when it is triggered by this enzyme. It then destroys only the cells in its vicinity - the tumour cells.

Professor Nigel Minton, who led the research, said: "Clostridia are an ancient group of bacteria that evolved on the planet before it had an oxygen-rich atmosphere and so they thrive in low oxygen conditions. When Clostridia spores are injected into a cancer patient, they will only grow in oxygen-depleted environments, ie the centre of solid tumours. This is a totally natural phenomenon, which requires no fundamental alterations and is exquisitely specific.We can exploit this specificity to kill tumour cells but leave healthy tissue unscathed." The team are now planning to work with other researchers on patient trials, due to start in 2013. Nell Barrie, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "Finding ways to target treatments to cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed is a key aim of researchers around the world. "But it's a difficult problem to solve, especially because every cancer is different. This particular approach hasn't yet been tested in patients so it will be some time before researchers know whether it will offer real benefits." (BBC)

Soil bacteria could be used to deliver cancer drugs
Researchers have found a way to inject the Clostridium sporogenes bacterium into patients, where it grows inside solid tumours. It then interacts with a separate drug injected into the cancer sufferers, destroying the cancer cells while preserving the healthy ones in what could be a more precise treatment than surgery.
Scientists now plan to carry out a clinical trial after successful lab tests of the technique, reported on Monday at the conference of the Society for General Microbiology in York.

Prof Nigel Minton from the University of Nottingham, who is leading the research, said: “Clostridia are an ancient group of bacteria that evolved on the planet before it had an oxygen-rich atmosphere and so they thrive in low oxygen conditions.“When Clostridia spores are injected into a cancer patient, they will only grow in oxygen-depleted environments, i.e. the centre of solid tumours. This is a totally natural phenomenon, which requires no fundamental alterations and is exquisitely specific. We can exploit this specificity to kill tumour cells but leave healthy tissue unscathed.”

Spores of the bacterium, which is common in soil, are injected into patients and grow inside tumours where they produce a specific enzyme. An anti-cancer drug is then injected into the patient in an inactive form, and is then activated by the bacteria’s enzyme, destroying the tumour cells in the vicinity. The technique has recently been improved by the team introducing a “much-improved” version of the enzyme into the DNA of the soil bacteria, which can be produced in greater quantities in the tumour. Clinical trials are expected to start in the Netherlands in 2013.

Prof Minton said: “This therapy will kill all types of tumour cell. The treatment is superior to a surgical procedure, especially for patients at high risk or with difficult tumour locations.
“If the approach is successfully combined with more traditional approaches this could increase our chance of winning the battle against cancerous tumours.” (Telegraph)

Soil bacteria can help kill cancer by delivering drugs 'straight into tumours
An ancient bacteria found in soil has been used by scientists to target tumours and combat cancer. The common bacterial strain grows in low oxygen environments and thrives in tumours when injected into the body, meaning it could be used as a vehicle to deliver drugs in cancer patients.

Spores of the Clostridium sporogenes bacterium are injected into patients and only grow in solid tumours, where a specific bacterial enzyme is produced.  An anti-cancer drug is injected separately into the patient in an inactive 'pro-drug' form. When the pro-drug reaches the site of the tumour, the bacterial enzyme activates the drug, allowing it to destroy only the cells in its vicinity - the tumour cells.

Scientists at Nottingham University and the University of Maastricht hope to test the strain in patients in 2013 after overcoming hurdles preventing clinical trials. They introduced a gene for a much-improved version of the enzyme into the C. sporogenes DNA.  This improved enzyme can now be produced in far greater quantities in the tumour than previous versions, and is more efficient at converting the pro-drug into its active form.

Professor Nigel Minton, of the University of Nottingham said: 'Clostridia are an ancient group of bacteria that evolved on the planet before it had an oxygen-rich atmosphere and so they thrive in low oxygen conditions.  'When Clostridia spores are injected into a cancer patient, they will only grow in oxygen-depleted environments, such as the centre of solid tumours.  This is a totally natural phenomenon, which requires no fundamental alterations and is exquisitely specific. We can exploit this specificity to kill tumour cells but leave healthy tissue unscathed.' He said the new therapy may ultimately lead to a simple and safe procedure for curing a wide range of solid tumours. He added: 'This therapy will kill all types of tumour cell. The treatment is superior to a surgical procedure, especially for patients at high risk or with difficult tumour locations. 'We anticipate that the strain we have developed will be used in a clinical trial in 2013 led by Jan Theys and Philippe Lambin at the University of Maastricht in The Netherlands. 'A successful outcome could lead to its adoption as a frontline therapy for treating solid tumours.  'If the approach is successfully combined with more traditional approaches this could increase our chance of winning the battle against cancerous tumours.' (Daily Mail)

From the soil grows new weapon to fight cancer
A modified strain of bacteria found widely in soil could soon be used to target and kill cancerous tumour cells – leaving healthy tissue unscathed. The therapy is expected to be tested in cancer patients in two years' time and may lead to a simple but safe procedure for curing solid tumours. The research has been partly carried out at the University of Nottingham, led by Nigel Minton, Professor of Applied Molecular Microbiology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Professor Minton said: "This therapy will kill all types of tumour cell. The treatment is superior to a surgical procedure, especially for patients at high risk or with difficult tumour locations."If the approach is successfully combined with more traditional approaches, this could increase our chance of winning the battle against cancerous tumours."

The therapy uses a modified form of Clostridium sporogenes, a bacterium which is in the Clostridia group of bacteria. This ancient group of bacteria evolved on the planet before it had an oxygen-rich atmosphere, and they thrive in low oxygen conditions. When Clostridia spores are injected into a cancer patient, they grow in the tumours, because the tumours are oxygen-depleted environments.

Professor Minton said: "This is a totally natural phenomenon which requires no fundamental alterations and is exquisitely specific. We can exploit this specificity to kill tumour cells but leave healthy tissue unscathed."

When the bacterium reproduces in the tumour, it also produces an enzyme. An anti-cancer drug is injected separately into the patient and reacts with the enzyme, destroying only the cells in its vicinity – the tumour cells. Nottingham researchers, together with those from the University of Maastricht, in The Netherlands, have modified the bacterium by introducing a gene into its DNA. This results in a much-improved version of the enzyme, which can be produced in greater quantities in the tumour than previous versions, and is more efficient at converting the pro-drug into its active form.

The research is being presented at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn Conference at the University of York, which starts today. Professor Minton anticipates the strain will be used in a clinical trial in 2013, led by Jan Theys and Philippe Lambin at the University of Maastricht. (Nottingham Post)

WEDNESDAY 22nd JUNE 2011

Hospital pillows may be source of infection
Hospital pillows are overlooked as a source of infection, yet have been shown to harbour many different types of micro-organisms, according to a new study. The study, carried out by The Barts and The London NHS Trust, showed that dead skin and contaminated fluids found on pillows in hospital wards exposes patients to infectious microbes. The research identified 30 different types of micro-organisms in a sample of hospital ward pillows. The report stated that torn stitching on pillows means they cannot be effectively cleaned, even though linen and bedding is routinely changed and laundered. The study was sponsored by SleepAngel – a company that has developed a new hermetically-sealed pillow that has been shown to minimise the risk of transmitting microbes through stitching. (Telegraph)

MONDAY 20th JUNE 2011

Vets urge ban on antibiotic adverts
Advertising antibiotics to farmers should be banned to help curb their use, say British vets. The use of antibiotics to treat livestock has risen eightfold over the past decade and Britain is the only country in Europe that still allows advertising of the drugs. In April, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate withdrew proposals to ban advertising, saying, “Antibiotics are a crucial part of treating sick animals but are strictly controlled and can only be supplied with a prescription from a veterinary surgeon.” The British Veterinary Association (BVA) which represents 12,000 vets said it was disappointed with the decision. However, a spokesperson from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said, “The usage of antibiotics on farms is carefully monitored to ensure responsible use. It was felt that farmers were experts in rearing livestock and could understand the issues.” (Independent)

WEDNESDAY 20th APRIL 2011

Farm visitors must wash hands, says HPA
People visiting farms must be careful to wash their hands to avoid picking up infections, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has warned. It says that sanitizing hand gels and wipes are not a substitute for soap and water, but may be useful in between hand washing. About three outbreaks of stomach upsets a year are linked to petting farms. The HPA has issued the warning just before the Easter weekend when lots of families are expected to visit open farms. Dr Bob Adak, an expert in gastrointestinal disease at the HPA said, “It is very important to avoid direct contact with animal droppings and also to be aware of the importance of good hand hygiene. As soon as you have finished touching the animals it is very important to wash your hands using soap and hot water and then dry them thoroughly.” (BBC)

THURSDAY 7th APRIL 2011

Antibiotic resistance higher than ever, says WHO
Antibiotic resistance has reached unprecedented levels in Europe and is leading to a lack of effective treatment for some multidrug-resistant infections. The theme of World Health Day today (7 April) is antimicrobial resistance. The World Health Organization (WHO) is using this day to raise awareness of the current situation and what can be done to combat antimicrobial resistance. Already 25,000 people die each year in Europe from drug-resistant infections. This figure is likely to increase as the development of new antibiotics is slow. The WHO Director for Europe, Zsuzsanna Jakab said, “Antibiotics are a precious discovery, but we take them for granted, overuse and misuse them.” Representatives from the WHO stressed that a concerted global effort to tackle the problem is required due to the importation of drug-resistant microbes through international travel and trade. The recent discovery of the NDM-1 bacterial gene in UK patients who had travelled to India is the latest concern. The Health Protection Agency said it is closely monitoring antimicrobial resistance in the UK. (BBC, Telegraph, Guardian)

THURSDAY 10th FEBRUARY 2011

Doctors’ sleeve length makes no difference when it comes to carrying bacteria
After an 8-hour working day the sleeves on a doctors garments, whether long or short, carry the same level of bacteria, according to researchers from the University of Colorado. “We were surprised to find no statistical difference in contamination between the short- and long-sleeved workwear.” said lead researcher Dr Marisha Burden. (Telegraph)

THURSDAY 31st MARCH 2011

Dishcloths source of food poisoning bacteria
Up to 90% of dishcloths in the home may harbour food poisoning bacteria, according to a government survey. The Chartered Institute of Environment Health tested 100 home dishcloths and found strains of potentially harmful bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Listeria. A similar survey of restaurant dishcloths, carried out by the Health Protection Agency last year, found 56% were contaminated. Each year an estimated 1 million people in the UK suffer from microbial food poisoning. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever. Around £1.5 billion a year is spent in lost working days and medical care. The Institute’s report suggests more emphasis should be put on tackling food poisoning in the home and recommends regular washing of dishcloths as one measure to do this. (Independent)

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