A sugar helps E. coli go down
Sugar present in red meat and dairy found to be a risk factor for E. coli infection
Some harmful strains of E. coli might rely on something sweet to do harm.
Taking a bite out of a favorite hamburger could mean absorbing a foreign sugar that can put a person at risk for future bouts of diarrhea-causing strains of E. coli – even if that burger doesn’t host the E. coli strains.
A study published online October 29 in Nature presents results from lab work suggesting that foodstuffs such as red meat and dairy products contain sugar molecules not naturally produced in the human body which toxins from E. coli bacteria may bind to, triggering the pathway that causes disease.
Mercedes Paredes of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, a doctor not involved with the study who focuses on E. coli, calls this research an important step. “The outbreaks caused by these [strains of] bacteria have the potential to overwhelm acute care resources, even in countries with an advanced health care system.” Based on these findings, she says she hopes for a future treatment to prevent the initial binding from occurring.