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Another article implicating GI infections like E.Coli 01:57, Campylobacter and others in the development of IBS and IBD. I've read other similar articles that mention Giardia, Shigella, and of course, the hundreds if not thousands of other pathogens that we are yet to identify, much less be able to find using common stool cultures. I think stool cultures are basically worthless, and should never lead someone to conclude that there is no disease-causing infection present.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/714568
Emerging pathogens as cause of MC
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I agree with you about stool cultures being basically worthless for many purposes, because in vitro conditions can never match the respective in vivo environment.
From the article:
And, the problem with probiotics, is that each of us has a very unique gut bacteria population that we have personally developed to fit our own lifestyle, diet, and environment. This disease causes us to alter our diet, (which will drastically alter that balance), and at various times in our lifetime, we will be prescribed antibiotics, which will make chaotic changes to our gut bacteria balance. At least the bacteria profile changes due to diet changes are not necessarily chaotic - they should be orderly, since diet changes were quite common during various seasons, way back in paleo times. The antibiotics, (and possibly other drugs), are the wild cards in the game, which can produce unpredictable results. The commercial probiotic products, though, are pretty much "one-size-fits-all" concoctions, and can never match the wide range of bacteria that make up the "preferred", (IOW, prior to disruption), population in our gut. Even if they were capable of attachment, (which they're not, so they will quickly die out, if not replenished regularly), they cannot hope to replicate the ideal balance that we need, individually.
Thanks for the link,
Tex
From the article:
That's sort of a simplistic position. I have a hunch that a careful analysis will show that virtually all antibiotics permanently alter the gut bacteria population, and while some degree of homeostasis will eventually return in most cases, the balance will never match what is was before the antibiotic was administered.For example, even short courses of oral antibiotics provided to healthy adult volunteers impact on the composition of the colonic microflora for several months after the cessation of therapy[5,6] that can predispose them to an intercurrent bacterial infection.[7]
And, the problem with probiotics, is that each of us has a very unique gut bacteria population that we have personally developed to fit our own lifestyle, diet, and environment. This disease causes us to alter our diet, (which will drastically alter that balance), and at various times in our lifetime, we will be prescribed antibiotics, which will make chaotic changes to our gut bacteria balance. At least the bacteria profile changes due to diet changes are not necessarily chaotic - they should be orderly, since diet changes were quite common during various seasons, way back in paleo times. The antibiotics, (and possibly other drugs), are the wild cards in the game, which can produce unpredictable results. The commercial probiotic products, though, are pretty much "one-size-fits-all" concoctions, and can never match the wide range of bacteria that make up the "preferred", (IOW, prior to disruption), population in our gut. Even if they were capable of attachment, (which they're not, so they will quickly die out, if not replenished regularly), they cannot hope to replicate the ideal balance that we need, individually.
Maybe, but they've got a heck of a long way to go, from all appearances.In the future, probiotics are likely to garner increasing attention as a novel approach to prevent intercurrent infections and dysbiosis in the composition of the human colonic microflora.[54]
Thanks for the link,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.