New intestinal bacteria linked to Crohn’s disease

An increase in the intestinal levels of a new type of infectious Escherichia coli bacteria, along with a depletion of Clostridium bacteria, appears to be involved in the development of Crohn’s disease, according to a report in The ISME Journal: Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology.

Dr. Kenneth W. Simpson, from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and colleagues used DNA analysis to compare the intestinal microbial flora in patients with Crohn’s disease and in healthy subjects.

Compared with the other groups, the Crohn’s disease patients showed an increase in E. coli species and a decrease in Clostridium in the area of the affected small intestines. In addition, the severity of the disease in the small intestine was directly related to the number of E. coli present. Lastly, only invasive species of E. coli were found in the inflamed mucosal lining of the intestinal wall.

Further analysis showed that the invasive E. coli had features similar to those of pathogenic E. coli and Enterobacteriaceae that are located outside of the intestine.

These findings suggest that a new group of E. coli contains opportunistic pathogens that might be the cause of chronic intestinal inflammation in susceptible individuals, Simpson said. Evaluation and treatment of any pathogens found in the flora of a patient’s intestinal lining may improve the outcome of these patients.

SOURCE: The ISME Journal: Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology, July12, 2007.

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