In the article Biochemists’ discovery could lead to vaccine against ‘flesh-eating’ bacteria, it discusses some very interesting ideas and sciences. The article starts by talking about the amounts of deaths caused by different strains of Streptococcus bacteria. It mentions that 500,000 people die each year from the infection. It moves into discussing the ability of the human body to fight the bacteria. The bacteria has an outer membrane. It is called the M protein. The protein on each strain is slightly different and makes it hard for the body to fight. They have found a potential way to make a vaccine that will cover many of the strains. By using C4BP witch comes from the body, they believe they can alter its ability to attach to the M protein. This will make it sort of a universal M protein attaching antibody.
After reading the article, I was fascinated by the ability for the C4BP to attach to many different M proteins. Usually an antibody from the immune system is designed for only one bacteria and not a broad variety of bacteria. With the ability to vaccinate people for flesh eating strep, medical professionals will not struggle to find powerful enough antibiotics to treat the disease. Instead they will be able to prevent it. It will also allow for antibiotics to not be used as frequently on the bacteria. By not using the antibiotics it will allow for them to continue to work effectively and slow the ability for the bacteria to evolve.
“Biochemists' Discovery Could Lead to Vaccine against 'Flesh-Eating' Bacteria.” Biochemists' Discovery Could Lead to Vaccine against 'Flesh-Eating' Bacteria, www.biologynews.net/archives/2016/09/05/biochemists_discovery_could_lead_to_vaccine_against_flesheating_bacteria.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%2Bbiologynews%2Fheadlines%2B%28Biology%2BNews%2BNet%29.
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ReplyDeleteFlesh Eating Bacteria has always interested me and seems to be one of the more popular medical problems that producers use to draw viewers in on any medical show found on TV. As a matter of fact, I first time I was exposed to anything along the lines of a Flesh Eating Bacteria was from the tv series Grey's Anatomy. I remember watching that and seeing how gross and incredibly devastating it was (they amputated the patents leg in the episode) and that was the glamours hollywood version. I can only imagine how the real things must be. Since watching that episode, I have done more personal research on it and even found out that there is a version of Flesh Eating Bacteria that can be found in the mouth known as Necrotizing Periodontal Disease. I would be absolutely amazing to have discovered a way to vaccinate individuals so that we no longer have to worry about such a decrepit health problem.
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When I saw this title for your blog I was instantly interested. I had no idea that 500,000 people died every year from this flesh-eating bacteria. You mention in the post that C4BP could potentially become universal M protein attaching antibody. If they are able to complete this, do you think it will be able to prevent the deaths of the 500,000 people every year? Or rather, will the body become immune to the C4BP similar to how it does in other antibiotics throughout time? I know you mention it possibly replacing antibiotics and possibly causing the evolution of bacteria to slow down. But will C4BP be a cure, or will it only work to slow the evolution of the bacteria? R.R.
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