Episode #49: Treating C. diff by Reducing the Associated Inflammation (research shows that it works in mice)

Gastro Broadcast

Dr. Lisa Mathews interviews Dr. Min Dong and Dr. Meenakshi Rao of the Boston Children’s Hospital regarding new research published in Nature that shows two FDA-approved drugs can alter our body’s own immune response to treat Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) more effectively. C. diff is the leading cause of gastrointestinal infections in the United States, and existing medications don’t always work because of antibiotic resistance, the presence of more lethal strains, and a drugs’ potential to harm good gut bacteria that prevent infection. The study conducted by Dr. Dong and Dr. Rao found that two already approved medications reduced inflammation associated with C. diff infection in mice, allowing for their immune systems to mount a more productive response to the infection. Listen to Dr. Mathew, Dr. Dong, and Dr. Rao as they explore what the next steps are for this research and what it might mean for the future of treating patients with C. diff. Produced by Andrew Sousa and Hayden Margolis for Steadfast Collaborative, LLC Mixed and mastered by Hayden Margolis Gastro Broadcast, Episode 49