Latest article on MAP/Crohn's connection
http://www.communigate.co.uk/sussex/thechroniccrohnscampaignuk/page75.phtml
http://www.communigate.co.uk/sussex/thechroniccrohnscampaignuk/page75.phtml
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MAP Doomsday
- Thread starter Mazen
- Start date
imisspopcorn
Punctuation Impaired
Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wouldn't say it is quite as bad as he is saying, but it is a possibility. Given the complex nature of the human microbiome I think he doesn't fully understand how hard it is to shift the microbiome that way. There is a reason a lot of our best antibiotics (vancomycin etc.) come from bacteria...they are waging war on each other every day in the soil, in our bodies, on our bodies...everywhere.
We barely even know how to study the microbiome, let alone decide a single bacteria can cause an entire disease, evade the immune system, and evade the entirety of our microbiome which more likely than not has bacteria in it that can fight off that strain. For all we know the susceptibility he is talking about is our lack of a strain of bacteria (or bacteria that have inherited the right gene cluster) that can fight off a MAP infection without intervention. That could easily explain how some people get crohns and others dont and why antibiotics can sometimes be "the trigger". But until we have cataloged thousands of microbiomes (and keep in mind he was correct about the difficulty of culturing a number of these bacteria), we will be unable to definitely say MAP or any other bacteria is able to cause a disease like crohns.
I do like the article though and think it brings up some interesting points that hopefully scientists (like Michael Fischbach at UCSF) can use to answer some lingering questions about crohns and maybe bring us a step closer to a cure (for some people at the very least)
We barely even know how to study the microbiome, let alone decide a single bacteria can cause an entire disease, evade the immune system, and evade the entirety of our microbiome which more likely than not has bacteria in it that can fight off that strain. For all we know the susceptibility he is talking about is our lack of a strain of bacteria (or bacteria that have inherited the right gene cluster) that can fight off a MAP infection without intervention. That could easily explain how some people get crohns and others dont and why antibiotics can sometimes be "the trigger". But until we have cataloged thousands of microbiomes (and keep in mind he was correct about the difficulty of culturing a number of these bacteria), we will be unable to definitely say MAP or any other bacteria is able to cause a disease like crohns.
I do like the article though and think it brings up some interesting points that hopefully scientists (like Michael Fischbach at UCSF) can use to answer some lingering questions about crohns and maybe bring us a step closer to a cure (for some people at the very least)
Thanks for pointing out this supporting research.
I am no longer looking for research as I am focused on other diseases right now, but this does support some of my own conclusions.
I have no symptoms I cannot put down in a short time, but this research will alter how I do this somewhat.
I also believe that there are other factors involved, but I think the bottom line is that if a person is never exposed to the MAP bacteria, they do not develop Crohn's.
Although I also think a person can be exposed to the MAP bacteria and not get Crohn's depending on other variables involved.
MAP opens the door to symptoms, and from then on it gets more complex.
At least that is how I interpret things at this time.
Dan
I am no longer looking for research as I am focused on other diseases right now, but this does support some of my own conclusions.
I have no symptoms I cannot put down in a short time, but this research will alter how I do this somewhat.
I also believe that there are other factors involved, but I think the bottom line is that if a person is never exposed to the MAP bacteria, they do not develop Crohn's.
Although I also think a person can be exposed to the MAP bacteria and not get Crohn's depending on other variables involved.
MAP opens the door to symptoms, and from then on it gets more complex.
At least that is how I interpret things at this time.
Dan