Researchers currently assert that Crohn’s disease appears in patients as a combination of bacterial, genetic, and dietary factors – but there could be another well-overlooked participant in the development of the disease. Fungus, present in all human digestive systems, might play a vital role in the presence – and the cure – of Crohn’s disease, according to new research performed by a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine-led team of international researchers.
Fungus and Bacteria May Be Working Together
The team set out to investigate the characteristics of the fungi and bacteria that inhabit Crohn’s disease (CD) patients and how those characteristics differ from those of bacteria and fungi in healthy individuals. They included individuals with CD and their family members who do not suffer from CD to help eliminate the possibility of genetic interference. They sampled the levels of fecal bacteria and fungi in each to determine where the differences are most notable.
Hundreds of species of bacteria and fungi inhabit the intestine of living humans, but the research team discovered that three, in particular, were highly correlated in patients suffering from Crohn’s disease:
- E. coli (bacteria)
- Serratia marcescens (bacteria)
- Candida tropicalis (fungus)
Because the three species were significantly more active in patients with the disease, this discovery may help lead to finding the initial cause of Crohn’s Disease. Besides the three major species of fungus and bacteria associated with Crohn’s, the team found that the gut flora profile between the afflicted and unafflicted also showed a general but significant separation.
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| E. Coli may be a contributing factor to Crohn’s disease. Source: cdc.gov |
Implications of the Results of the Crohn’s Disease Study
Study leader Professor Mahmoud Ghannoum warns, “We have to be careful, though, and not solely attribute Crohn’s disease to the bacterial and fungal makeups of our intestines.” There are additional factors, including hereditary traits and the tendency of households to share the same diet, which could contribute more profoundly to the presence or cause of Crohn’s disease.
Nonetheless, identifying the key factors that introduce the symptoms of CD to suffering patients is another small step toward a Crohn’s disease cure. The discovery has delighted the team’s peers, including Dr. Wendy Edwards, research manager at Crohn's and Colitis UK, who commented, “Although the sample size of patients within this study is small, it has highlighted a potentially interesting area for further research.”
