An interview with Dr. George Tetz, MD, Ph.D., discussing the discovery of the role of bacteriophages in nneurodegeneration is available online here
Bacteriophages: Are they an overlooked driver of Parkinson’s disease?
June 10, 2018 – Atlanta, GA – In the first study of its kind, researchers from the New York-based Human Microbiology Institute have discovered the role certain bacteriophages may play in the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The research is presented at ASM Microbe, the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, held from June 7th to June 11th in Atlanta, Georgia.
Bacteriophages: Are They an Overlooked Driver of Parkinson’s Disease?
Human Microbiology Institute research the first propose the concept of bacteriophages as human pathogens. In this study we discovered the effect of certain bacteriophages on the microbiota of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) that might contribute to the onset of this pathology
Research Will Be Presented at American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Microbe 2018
Bacteriophages: Are they an overlooked driver of Parkinson’s disease?
The researchers, led by George, Tetz, M.D., Ph.D., Human Microbiology Institute, showed that the abundance of lytic Lactococcus phages was higher in PD patients when compared to healthy individuals. This abundance led to a 10-fold reduction in neurotransmitter-producing Lactococcus, suggesting the possible role of phages in neurodegeneration. Comparative analysis of the bacterial component also revealed significant decreases in Streptococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. in PD.