Poo from baboons, lemurs and pigs contains secret for treating ulcers in diabetes patients, UK researchers say
Lemurs and baboons could help treat foot ulcers in people with diabetes.
Scientists have discovered viruses in the feces of endangered animals, including Guinea baboons, lemurs and Visayan pigs, that could kill bacteria found in diabetic foot ulcers.
These ulcers lead to more than 7,000 amputations a year and cost £1 billion, but can be difficult to treat because they are often infected with bacteria that impair healing.
These bacteria are also often resistant to antibiotics, meaning they cannot be killed by medications.
However, viruses in animal feces can kill some of the most common harmful bacteria found in foot ulcers, laboratory scientists have discovered.
Scientists have discovered that viruses found in the feces of endangered animals, including Guinea baboons (pictured), could kill bacteria found in diabetic foot ulcers.
They have not yet tested these viruses on the ulcers of diabetic patients, but they hope to make an important breakthrough.
The viruses, called bacteriophages, were found in animal faeces at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
Professor Graham Stafford, who leads virus research at the University of Sheffield, said: “We have been looking for new treatments for antibiotic resistance for some time and we are the first to look for such a virus in droppings. zoo.
“It’s a pleasure to have endangered species contribute to such a positive and powerful goal.”
Once more research is done, natural viruses could potentially be included in dressings applied to previously incurable diabetic foot ulcers.
There are thousands of different types of bacteriophages, and they are considered a new frontier in medicine, which could also be used to treat sepsis in the future.
Researchers have so far identified beneficial bacteria in the feces of Guinea baboons, giraffes, lemurs, Visayan pigs and binturongs, which are part of a collection of 450 animals belonging to more than 70 rare species and endangered species of Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
There are an estimated 4.5 million people with diabetes in the UK, and around 450,000 will develop a foot ulcer at some point in their lives.
Dr Dinesh Selvarajah, consultant physician at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Unfortunately I see many patients with diabetic foot disease in my clinic.
“More effective treatment of infections will have a significant impact on reducing the risk of amputation. »