Beneficial bacteria to prevent and fight diseases

Research has revealed, in bacteria from the intestine of humans and goats, properties to prevent and combat infectious digestive, respiratory and skin diseases.

The study is the work of scientists from the National University of Tucumán (UNT) and the National Council for Scientific Research (CONICET), both entities in Argentina.

Specifically, these researchers identified lactic acid bacteria that prevent pathogenic bacteria from acting virulently. In this line of research, more progress has been made with human probiotic bacteria than with animal ones.

In vitro tests and computational simulations were carried out, which yielded satisfactory results. The results of the human probiotic trials were published in two academic journals: Biofouling and another from Springer.

Anabel Díaz has a degree in biotechnology, a CONICET doctoral fellow and co-author of the research that seeks to combat infections naturally, as an option to traditional antibiotics. This is very important, considering the global phenomenon of antibiotic resistance, which occurs when bacteria change and resist the effect of the antibiotic and, therefore, can continue to grow and multiply.

Díaz told Argentina Investiga that she and her colleagues carried out in vitro tests testing the action of these lactic acid bacteria on different types of pathogenic bacteria that infect humans and animals. Probiotic bacteria contribute to the balance of the intestinal flora and enhance the immune system. “Our studies show that the metabolism of isolated bacteria reduces the virulence of two pathogenic bacteria: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.” Both bacteria usually appear in hospitalized patients because they are “opportunistic”, they generate resistance to antibiotics and can cause from respiratory diseases to generalized infections that complicate the patient with the risk of death.

Díaz is directed by Dr. Mario Arena and Dr. Silvia González, researchers from the Institute of Pharmaceutical and Food Biotechnology (INBIOFAL) with a double dependency between the UNT and CONICET. The young fellow pointed out that the work aims to become an alternative to antibiotics, “without a bactericidal effect because bacteria are increasingly resistant. We do not want to attack pathogenic bacteria but to prevent them from communicating with each other and with that we reduce their action”, she pointed out.

For his part, Arena commented that the pathogenic bacteria, whose virulence they managed to reduce in the tests, usually produce a biofilm or biofilm that, due to its structure, makes antibiotics ineffective and favors the development of chronic diseases. “We check the communication of these pathogenic bacteria and, in this way, we could prevent the development of bacterial infections such as pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory and skin diseases.”

Dr. Arena commented that his study team is developing lines of research similar to the one described above, which seek to combat infections. They carried out tests with essential oils from citrus, waste from wine and olive groves. Some of these products also have properties to preserve food and to clean surfaces.

A moment from one of the trials carried out on goats in the region. (Photo: research team / UNT / CONICET)

Probiotic bacteria, from both the intestine and the colostrum of goats, were identified and isolated some time ago by the research group with the aim of improving the production of goats in the region. Scientists sought to reduce digestive diseases and infections in goats and, for that, they began to analyze their fecal matter and their milk, where they found lactic acid bacteria with the potential to reduce infections.

Also participating in the research group are María Rosa Alberto (INBIOFAL), Esteban Vega Hissi (San Luis), and Amparo Blázquez (University of Valencia). The researchers commented that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Production of Tucumán and other official organisms, they carry out trials to test the capacity of probiotic bacteria in the prevention of diseases in goats. (Source: National University of Tucumán / Argentina Investigates)