- A new study in mice suggests the presence of certain gut bacteria transforms alveolar macrophages into respiratory virus neutralizers.
- The results show that the macrophages disabled respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, RSV, and the flu.
- The mechanisms behind this discovery are unclear, and the researchers are planning human trials to determine whether the findings can be replicated.
A new mouse study has found that certain segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB), when naturally present or introduced into the intestinal microbiome, cause the lungs’ alveolar macrophages to disable viral infections and protect against illness.
The results show that mice were more capable of resisting serious respiratory illnesses like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as well as influenza viruses.
Alveoli are tiny air sacs in your lungs — an estimated
In the presence of the segmented filamentous bacteria, macrophages resident in the alveoli somehow destroyed the pathogens directly without triggering the immune system’s larger inflammatory response.
During the study, mice were exposed both to RSV and SARS-CoV-2. In mice without segmented filamentous bacteria, alveolar macrophages became quickly depleted in the presence of the pathogens.
However, in mice with segmented filamentous bacteria, alveolar macrophages changed in two ways. First, they became resistant to the pathogens. Second, they became pathogen-neutralizers, disabling them.
Despite the promising implications, subsequent research in humans is needed to ascertain the value of these findings. If confirmed in humans, fighting serious respiratory infections could become as simple as supplementing one’s diet with the requisite gut flora.
The study is published in
Dr. Jimmy Johannes, an internist, pulmonologist, and critical care medicine specialist at MemorialCare Medical Group in Long…
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