Scientists Shed Light on Actions of Dangerous Vampire Bacteria
Scientists have made a scientific discovery shedding light on the actions of dangerous vampire bacteria that, according to researchers, actively pursue human blood.
Study Highlights Motivations of Deadliest Bacteria
As reported by LADbible, scientists from Washington State University in the United States delved into studying what motivates some of the deadliest bacteria in the world.
Understanding Bloodstream Infections
The study, published in the journal eLife, provides an understanding of how bloodstream infections develop and possible methods for their treatment.
Common Bacteria Attracted to Blood Serum
Arden Belayneh, a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University and the author of the study, notes: «Bacteria entering the bloodstream can be deadly. We found that some of the most common bloodstream infection-causing bacteria actually sense chemicals in the blood and head towards them.»
Leading Killers Target Human Blood Components
The study revealed that at least three types of bacteria, including Salmonella enterica, E. coli, and Citrobacter koseri, are attracted to components of human blood serum. These bacteria are among the leading killers of people with inflammatory bowel diseases, which are often accompanied by gastrointestinal bleeding.
Rapid Response to Gastrointestinal Bleeding
Using powerful microscopic systems, researchers simulated gastrointestinal bleeding by introducing microscopic amounts of human serum and observing how bacteria move towards the source of bleeding. The reaction occurs rapidly, with bacteria finding the serum in less than a minute.
