New discovery could lead to answers for Crohn’s disease

INDIANAPOLIS Ind. (WISH) – There’s new research that experts say may lead to a cure for Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s is an inflammatory bowel disease, which causes severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue.  The new research did not find a cure to the disease but it could lead to answers for people suffering from Crohn’s.

For years research for the disease has been focusing on potential viral infections or genetic abnormalities, but this paper from Case Western Reserve University found that a fungus has been identified as a key factor in the development of Crohn’s disease.

In our digestive system we have fungus in our body, some good and some bad. Researchers in this paper found there is a specific fungus that is overgrown in the gut of a Crohn’s patients. Also, there is a codependency with two other kinds of bad bacteria and that fungus that makes them resistant to antibiotics, making it hard for doctors to help people with Crohn’s.

Dr. Monika Fischer an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Indiana University said this is just the beginning.

“I don’t think this is going to be the whole story and there is certainly a lot more to discover and potentially intervene by using antibiotics or anti-fungal agents, but changing our lifestyles or changing our diets that would be the best way to intervene and change our microbiota.”

In addition, Doctor Fischer said the discovery of the role or micro-organisms or fungus in health and GI disorders is a new field in the last few years. She said there is still a lot more research to be done.

Researchers believe the changes to the micro bacteria in our bodies when we are babies in the first two years of our life can lead to diseases like Crohn’s. Doctors believe its important to take care of a babies diet by doing a few things.

• Breast feeding
• Having a natural birth
• Using antibiotics for your baby sparingly for the first two years.

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