Germ Warfare
Scientists have begun tweaking bacteria that is already in your body, so
that they can do their job and improve your health while they are at it!
Scientists can change the bacteria that you have in your mouth, so that
it produces alcohol instead of acid. This means that the bacteria
that feeds on the sugar you eat, and is found on your teeth, no longer
emits the acid that ruins your enamel leads to cavities and tooth decay!
By genetically modifying the bacteria, scientists hope that they can
stop tooth decay and improve patient's health.
And, now, scientists are working on a genetically altered bacteria that
creates cheese. They are using the Lactococcus lactis
bacteria to combat Crohn's disease. The bacteria been
designed so that it has a short life, thus making it unable to spread if
it is passed from the bowels of the subject into the sewer system or
into another person. Safeguards have been built in to it to keep
it from being able to be used by disease-causing bacteria. 80% of the he
subjects found relief from both pain and diarrhea.
Another study altered salmonella by having an E. coli gene inserted
causing it to create an enzyme that causes a drug that destroys tissue
to begin working. But, they only work in places where they are
together which is inside of tumors! They appear to shrink the
cancerous tumor's size, but studies, thus far, have been small.
In the mean time, studies are being done on
probiotics.
Probiotics are natural, unmodified microbes that work in the body
for good. Testing on these have been few.
Lactobacillus GG has been the most widely studied probiotic.
Studies have shown that this bacteria calms the immune system and may
help curb food allergies. It helps reduce the risk of parasites
that often cause food poisoning, gastroenteritis or diarrhea.
Probiotics have been used in Europe for some time. A throat spray
was developed that reduced strep infections in patients who chronically
suffered from strep. A similar medicine was created to reduce ear
infections.
In America, probiotics are usually sold in health food stores.
Doctors require clinic studies which are expensive. This has held
back the use of probiotics here.
So, for now, we must find the natural sources of probiotics and other
good bacteria to make us healthy and improve our quality of life. |
