Experts link bacteria to clotting, paving way for possible new diabetes treatment
A discovery by a Stellenbosch University researcher could revolutionise the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Resia Pretorius‚ from the physiological sciences department‚ has found that dormant bacteria in blood can be brought back to life by excessive iron levels‚ triggering blood clots. These lead to inflammation that causes health problems ranging from strokes and heart attacks to Alzheimer’s disease‚ arthritis and diabetes. Studies by Pretorius and Douglas Kell‚ from the University of Manchester in the UK‚ are changing the way scientists think about the effect bacteria have on a number of diseases‚ and more research could open up new preventive measures‚ including removing dormant microbes from blood and blocking the inflammatory toxins they shed. Pretorius said she wanted to "translate her basic research findings into clinical practice in order to reduce the global burden of disease and death due to the formation of blood clots in various inflammatory conditions". Pretorius and Kel...
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