E. Coli Growth Inhibited by Flu Medications

Through a technique known as pyrosequencing, Stanford Univ. researchers in 2008 found the bacteria community in the colon is made of at least 5,600 species, or strains. It was a huge moment for gut microbiota, as previous estimates put the number upwards of 500.

According to Gut Microbiota World Watch, one-third of gut microbiota is common between humans, but the rest are specific to an individual person. “The compositions of our microbiota evolves throughout our entire life, from birth to old age, and is the result of different environmental influences,” according to the organization.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) most likely brings to mind news stories of unsuspecting consumers buying bad food at the supermarket. But E. coli actually makes up a small facet of gut flora. According to the Univ. of Zurich, the bacteria accounts for about 0.1% of intestinal bacteria. In such a state, the bacteria is harmless.

Univ. of Zurich physiologists have discovered a carbohydrate causes E. coli to multiply rapidly in the gut, giving rise to an inflammatory effect. Their findings were published in Nature Communications.