Viruses that can seek and destroy food poisoning bugs in the gut are being investigated by researchers at The University of Nottingham, thanks to a new grant.
The work, which has been funded with a $100,000 USD grant by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, could offer the potential for treating and preventing intestinal illnesses in children in developing countries including those caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter and E. coli.
They hope the viruses, known as bacteriophages — the word meaning “bacteria-eaters” — and which only affect their target bacteria, could offer a viable alternative to antibiotics and a potential new approach for the developing world where the illnesses can often be fatal.
Professor Paul Barrow in the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, who is leading the research, said: “In developing countries there is a huge amount of enteric disease.
“There is some evidence to suggest that gut flora — the bacteria that live in the gut — in childhood can offer protection against pathogens in later life and that it is tied up with the immunity of the host, their diet and other environmental factors.”
The research is being supported by the Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) initiative, which funds individuals worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mould in how we solve persistent global health and development challenges.
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