A new biological agent for treatment of Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coil infections and dysentery in humans

Gastrointestinal disease caused by Shiga toxin-producing bacteria (such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Shigella dysenteriae) is often complicated by life-threatening toxin-induced systemic sequelae, including hemolytic-uremi c syndrome. Such infections can now be diagnosed very early in the course o f the disease, but at present no effective therapeutic intervention is poss ible. Here, we constructed a recombinant bacterium that displayed a Shiga t oxin receptor mimic on its surface, and it adsorbed and neutralized Shiga t oxins with very high efficiency. Moreover, oral administration of the recom binant bacterium completely protected mice from challenge with an otherwise 100%-fatal dose of Shiga toxigenic E. coli. Thus, the bacterium shows grea t promise as a 'probiotic' treatment for Shiga toxigenic E. coli infections and dysentery.