Irritable bowel syndrome is caused by a spirochete
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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For a long time, it was believed that irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea is an exclusively functional disorder caused by neurological, microbiological, hormonal, hereditary factors. However, scientists recently discovered that the main culprit of the disease is a bacterial microorganism - the spirochete Brachispira. This information was announced by scientists from the Swedish University of Gothenburg.
In almost all countries of the world, 5-10% of people periodically suffer from irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. Pathology is manifested by frequent urge to defecate (especially after or during a meal), soreness in the projection of the intestine, liquid feces several times a day (sometimes there is an alternation of diarrhea with constipation), tenesmus, etc. Activity does not suffer much, but intense symptoms have an extremely negative effect on the quality and lifestyle, in fact, "tying" a person to the toilet. Until recently, the problem regarding the actual source of the appearance of the syndrome had no solution. But today scientists seem to have found answers to questions about the origin and mechanisms of the development of the disease.
It is a well-known fact that irritable bowel syndrome makes itself felt after poisoning, intestinal infectious lesions, which indicates the involvement of a bacterial imbalance in the development of the disease. But studies on dysbiosis usually did not show a pathological picture. The specialists took a different path, examining a biopsy taken from the sigmoid colon: the analysis was carried out by the method of immunofluorescence, polymerase chain reaction, and also using an electron microscope. In general, more than sixty patients with this syndrome and more than thirty healthy people aged 18-65 years were examined.
According to the results of the experiment, the massive presence of the spirochete Brachispira on the mucous intestinal tissues was found in 30% of sick patients, and in none of the healthy participants. In about 20% of cases, the spirochete was bound to the apical membrane of colonocytes: this caused the activation of mast cells and the development of an inflammatory reaction.
The specialists prescribed the patients a course of treatment with Metronidazole. The therapy provoked the passage of the pathogen into the secretory granules of the goblet cells: scientists note that they had not previously considered such a method of bacterial survival.
Experts say that if the results of the study are confirmed, the treatment regimen for irritable bowel syndrome will radically change. Since the spirochete provokes the development of histamine-like intestinal inflammation, antihistamines, elimination nutrition, along with taking antibiotics and probiotics can become potential treatments .
Information published on the pages of the медицинского издания гастроэнтерологов и гепатологов Gutmedical edition of gastroenterologists and hepatologists Gut