Weapons of choice in fighting E. coli include antibodies, biomarkers, and early-detection kits.
Almost everyone knows that E. coli is a food-borne illness that could make people sick. But many individuals as recently as just 5 years ago, were not entirely prepared for what they will hear from some doctors: “There is no cure" and, true to the doctor’s word, there was very little anyone could do.
That could change.
Part of the alarm over cases of E. coli poisoning, such as the current spinach-linked outbreak blamed on the 0 O157:H7 strain, has been the difficulty in treating the most severe cases — when toxins produced by the bacterium cause kidney failure. But researchers have been working for two decades to learn more about the illness and now think they will eventually have ways to limit the damage.
The O157:H7 strain releases a toxin, called Shiga toxin that attacks the intestines, causing bloody diarrhea and intense cramping. Sometimes the intestines bleed and break down. The toxin also can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, in which the kidneys shut down due to damage in the small blood vessels. Both complications can be fatal, but kidney failure causes most E. coli-related deaths.
Doctors are essentially helpless to reverse hemolytic uremic syndrome once the process has begun.
Instead, Doctors try to keep the patient hydrated while providing electrolytes to maintain the body’s nutritional balance. Some patients need kidney dialysis, the use of a ventilator, blood transfusions and blood pressure medication to keep them alive while the body fights the infection and toxins.
With enough supportive care, most are able to pull through. The body’s immune system fights off the infection, and the kidneys are able to heal themselves. A few patients — usually children and elderly people, who have weaker immune systems — are unable to recover.
Most people fare best if they seek medical help quickly and are admitted to a hospital with expertise in treating hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Several research groups are trying to create antibodies to the Shiga toxin, substances that would recognize and help fight the poison. Other researchers are trying to develop drugs that protect the kidneys from severe damage by reducing toxin-induced inflammation.
Apparently, using standard anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, won’t limit damage to kidney cells caused by Shiga toxin. However, researchers have identified a specific class of chemicals called adenosine-based compounds that appear to reduce inflammation in the kidneys and in other areas of the body.
Finding ways to reduce kidney inflammation is of growing importance for other conditions as well. Each year, thousands of people suffer acute kidney injuries due to a variety of causes, including infections, medications and blood pressure problems. Currently, there is little that can be done to limit this damage, he says, but many researchers think anti-inflammatory drugs for the kidney can be developed.
Doctors are also aiming to identify kidney damage at earlier stages using chemicals in the urine that signal dysfunction.
About The Author:
Attorney Ted Bills can be reached at 719.444.1000 or at http://www.SpringsAttorney.com.
Attorney Ted Bills has one mission – to fight for the rights of victims, the wrong accused, and those who have been devastated by the misconduct of others – he represents clients with an aggressive approach designed to provide SWIFT justice.
Attorney Ted Bills practices Auto Accident (Car, Truck, and Motorcycle crash), DUI, Personal Injury, and Criminal – Traffic Violation law in Colorado Springs, CO and is a member of the American Bar Association, the Colorado Bar Association, the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the El Paso County (Colorado Springs) Bar Association. He works in tandem with his clients to provide assertive, business-savvy, legal services that solve problems, reduce delays, and minimize costs.
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