Science

BootinUp

(49,020 posts) Sun Nov 3, 2024, 10:14 AM Nov 3

New Study: Common Hospital Infection Could Trigger Alzheimer's

Researchers at Florida State University’s Gut Biome Lab have conducted a groundbreaking study uncovering a possible connection between gut bacterial infections and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

The research found that the bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae — a common bacteria notorious for causing hospital-acquired infections — can migrate from the gut into the bloodstream and eventually into the brain. This bacterial invasion may lead to increased inflammation in the brain and impair cognitive functions, mimicking symptoms seen in Alzheimer’s patients. The work was published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

The research suggests that when antibiotics disrupt the gut, it can lead to issues not just in the gut but also in the brain. Using a preclinical mouse model, researchers showed that antibiotic exposure depletes gut bacterial diversity and causes microbiome imbalance, which promotes the proliferation of K. pneumoniae by creating a favorable niche.

Implications for Hospital-Acquired Infections and Alzheimer’s Risk
When this happens, K. pneumoniae can move from the gut into the bloodstream by passing through the gut lining and eventually reach the brain, triggering neuroinflammation and neurocognitive impairment.

https://scitechdaily.com/new-study-common-hospital-infection-could-trigger-alzheimers/

12 replies

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New Study: Common Hospital Infection Could Trigger Alzheimer's (Original Post) BootinUp Nov 3 OP

I always take a probiotic. Especially when prescribed antibiotics. CousinIT Nov 3 #1

I guess this is a fairly new idea. Hopefully the medical community BootinUp Nov 3 #2

Unlikely Warpy Nov 3 #3

But that is not the relevant question. The question they are trying to answer BootinUp Nov 3 #4

People who work in health care are colonized with some of the Warpy Nov 3 #5

Is colonized another way of saying they have an infection that has to be treated with Antibiotics? BootinUp Nov 3 #6

No, it means every nasty bug known to medical science Warpy Nov 3 #7

I thought so. You make a lot of sense Warpy. BootinUp Nov 3 #8

Here is the FSU article Warpy Nov 3 #9

Found it. BootinUp Nov 3 #10

My daughter is a hospital nurse SCantiGOP Nov 9 #11

wow the last couple times when I was visiting people in the hospital... Ysabel Nov 11 #12

CousinIT

(10,180 posts)

1. I always take a probiotic. Especially when prescribed antibiotics.

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 10:46 AM

Nov 3

It's a good idea to take probiotics whenever antibiotics are taken. They may not help, but they can't hurt at all.

BootinUp

(49,020 posts)

2. I guess this is a fairly new idea. Hopefully the medical community

Reply to CousinIT (Reply #1)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 10:48 AM

Nov 3

will come out with some updated recommendations as well.

Warpy

(113,130 posts)

3. Unlikely

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 01:28 PM

Nov 3

when you consider the number of people who work in health care and don't develop Alzheimer's dementia.

BootinUp

(49,020 posts)

4. But that is not the relevant question. The question they are trying to answer

Reply to Warpy (Reply #3)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 03:50 PM

Nov 3

is when this bacteria which is normally present in the gut, gets in the blood and/or brain, does that have a causal relationship with Alzheimers. Apparently this condition is known to occur in hospital patients as described here https://www.healthline.com/health/klebsiella-pneumonia#causes. I do not know if it is known to occur in hospital workers, are you saying it is?

Warpy

(113,130 posts)

5. People who work in health care are colonized with some of the

Reply to BootinUp (Reply #4)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 03:57 PM

Nov 3

most godawful bugs known to medical science and that's one one of them.

BootinUp

(49,020 posts)

6. Is colonized another way of saying they have an infection that has to be treated with Antibiotics?

Reply to Warpy (Reply #5)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 04:04 PM

Nov 3

Warpy

(113,130 posts)

7. No, it means every nasty bug known to medical science

Reply to BootinUp (Reply #6)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 06:43 PM

Nov 3

can be found in or on the body. It's why we mask and glove and spend so much time washing our hands.

It means there are small colonies of nasty bugs, kept in check by a healthy immune system.

Epidemiologists have implicated other infectious organisms with initiating Alzheimer's, this isn't the first time. None of the research has come up with a clear link.

I think it will turn out to be a genetiaclly programmed autoimmune disease, most people starting to show signs like decreased vocabulary in their 50s and 60s even if they don't develop clear signs of dementia until their 80s or 90s. That's certainly the case in early onset Alzheimer's, most cases traced back to a family in Nonza, Italy.

BootinUp

(49,020 posts)

8. I thought so. You make a lot of sense Warpy.

Reply to Warpy (Reply #7)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 07:32 PM

Nov 3

Still, I wonder if the paper is available to read. I might try to find it.

Warpy

(113,130 posts)

9. Here is the FSU article

Reply to BootinUp (Reply #8)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 08:07 PM

Nov 3

https://news.fsu.edu/news/health-medicine/2024/10/24/fsu-researchers-uncover-new-link-between-gut-bacteria-and-alzheimers-disease/

There's not a link I could see to the actual paper, but my eyesight sucks and I miss a lot.

BootinUp

(49,020 posts)

10. Found it.

Reply to Warpy (Reply #9)

Sun Nov 3, 2024, 08:12 PM

Nov 3

I'll try to understand some of it. Thank You!

https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/230/Supplement_2/S95/7754705?login=false

SCantiGOP

(14,238 posts)

11. My daughter is a hospital nurse

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Sat Nov 9, 2024, 03:02 PM

Nov 9

She says that as far as disease is concerned, a hospital is the most dangerous place a healthy person can be.

Ysabel

(2,080 posts)

12. wow the last couple times when I was visiting people in the hospital...

Reply to BootinUp (Original post)

Mon Nov 11, 2024, 08:19 PM

Nov 11

I was afraid I'd catch something I touched a table in my son's room to move it and it had a nasty bit of gooey stuff on the underside of it. It got all over my hands and it stuck. I had to wash off in the bathroom and it was real hard to get off...

- and when I was staying in the hospital myself a whole lot of the staff were sick I was afraid I'd catch something from them some of them didn't even wear gloves which I thought was a bit odd...

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