Probiotics to treat or prevent gut colonization by drug-resistant E. Coli

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria threaten public health worldwide. One of the most widespread strains is Escherichia coli sequence type 131, which has a subclone lineage called H30R that is resistant to fluoroquinolones. This subtype, known as ST131-H30R, causes a large number of E. Coli infections that are resistant to antimicrobial treatment. The bacteria can be transmitted through various means, including international travel, within households, or in healthcare settings. ST131-H30R usually resides in the gut as an opportunistic pathogen that can lead to subsequent pathogenic infection of the host outside the gut. Researchers at GW determined how the gut microbiome is related to carriage, persistence, and loss of ST131-H30R. By conducting a cross-sectional study of 519 participants and a nested longitudinal household study of 141 participants, it was discovered that participants with ST131-H30R exhibited a higher proportional abundance of Actinobacteria and Collinsella. Conversely, Alistipes was more common in participants without ST131-H30R carriage.

The Alistipes bacteria that are negatively associated with ST131-H30R carriage can be used as probiotic species directly, which can help defend against ST131 colonization.

Publication:

Gut microbiome predictors of Escherichia coli sequence type 131 colonization and loss. Daniel E Park, Maliha Aziz, Benjamin J Koch , Kelsey Roach , Connie Clabots , James R Johnson , Lance B Price , Cindy M Liu. EBioMedicine, Vol 99, Jan 2024, Article 104909

Advantages:

1. Prevent pathogenic drug-resistant infections
2. Avoid use of antibiotics
3. Use healthy bacteria to fight harmful bacteria

Applications:

1. Over the counter probiotic or food supplement to treat colonization of gut by ST131-H30R subtype.
2. Over the counter probiotic or food supplement to prevent colonization of gut by ST131-H30R subtype.