Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections&nbsp;constitute an increasing danger and directly cause at least 1.27 million deaths annually. This highlights the urgent need for alternative treatments. According to a new study, intractable lung infections may now be treated using genetically modified bacteria.&nbsp;To combat the danger of antibiotic resistance, research in mice shows drug-resistant illnesses might be targeted and made susceptible to antibiotics that would otherwise be ineffective.

According to studies conducted at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, the bacteria-based treatment increased the survival rate of mice by two-folds compared to applying no treatment at all. No toxicity was visible in the lungs following the administration of a single, high dosage of the medication. The immune system eliminated the modified bacteria in four days after the course of therapy was complete.

Dr Maria Lluch at the International University of Catalonia explained the treatment as a “battering ram that lays siege to antibiotic-resistant bacteria”.

“The treatment punches holes in their cell walls, providing crucial entry points for antibiotics to invade and clear infections at their source,” said Lluch. “We believe this is a promising new strategy to address the leading cause of mortality in hospitals.”&nbsp;

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which may cause intractable infections because the bacteria create biofilms, was the focus of the most recent research. These have the ability to attach to body surfaces and create solid structures that are resistant to medicines.

In the study which was published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, Mycoplasma pneumoniae was genetically modified to lose its capacity to spread disease and be utilised instead to manufacture toxins that would either kill or prevent the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Before beginning clinical trials, the research team intends to do more studies. They see nebulizers being used to give the treatment in the future, allowing the patient to breathe in a mist of germs. Biofilms can also grow on the surface of endotracheal tubes used by critically ill patients who require mechanical ventilators to breathe.

Up to one in four patients who need intubation are affected with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which affects around half of those who need intubation owing to severe Covid-19. Up to one patient in eight dies from ventilator-associated pneumonia.

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Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections constitute an increasing danger and directly cause at least 1.27 million deaths annually. This highlights the urgent need for alternative treatments.

Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections constitute an increasing danger and directly cause at least 1.27 million deaths annually. This highlights the urgent need for alternative treatments. According to a new study, intractable lung infections may now be treated using genetically modified bacteria. To combat the danger of antibiotic resistance, research in mice shows drug-resistant illnesses might be targeted and made susceptible to antibiotics that would otherwise be ineffective. According to studies conducted at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, the bacteria-based treatment increased the survival rate of mice by two-folds compared to applying no treatment at all. No toxicity was visible in the lungs following the administration of a single, high dosage of the medication. The immune system eliminated the modified bacteria in four days after the course of therapy was complete. Dr Maria Lluch at the International University of Catalonia explained the treatment as a “battering ram that lays siege to antibiotic-resistant bacteria”. “The treatment punches holes in their cell walls, providing crucial entry points for antibiotics to invade and clear infections at their source,” said Lluch. “We believe this is a promising new strategy to address the leading cause of mortality in hospitals.” Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which may cause intractable infections because the bacteria create biofilms, was the focus of the most recent research. These have the ability to attach to body surfaces and create solid structures that are resistant to medicines. In the study which was published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, Mycoplasma pneumoniae was genetically modified to lose its capacity to spread disease and be utilised instead to manufacture toxins that would either kill or prevent the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Before beginning clinical trials, the research team intends to do more studies. They see nebulizers being used to give the treatment in the future, allowing the patient to breathe in a mist of germs. Biofilms can also grow on the surface of endotracheal tubes used by critically ill patients who require mechanical ventilators to breathe. Up to one in four patients who need intubation are affected with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), which affects around half of those who need intubation owing to severe Covid-19. Up to one patient in eight dies from ventilator-associated pneumonia. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Genetically modified bacteria could treat lung infections, reveals study

An ailing Maryland man who received a pig’s heart last week in a pioneering transplant procedure has a criminal record stemming from an assault 34 years ago in which he repeatedly stabbed a young man, leaving him paralyzed.

The victim, Edward Shumaker, spent nearly two decades in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down, and suffered numerous medical complications including a stroke that left him cognitively impaired, before he died in 2007 at age 40, according to his sister, Leslie Shumaker Downey, of Frederick, Maryland.

The Washington Post first reported the transplant patient’s criminal record and the assault that led to it on Thursday. The revelations have prompted debate about how patients are selected for cutting-edge medical care.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-a-first-man-gets-genetically-modified-pig-heart-in-transplant-443747">In a first, man gets genetically modified pig heart in transplant</a>

The patient, David Bennett Sr., 57, is being closely monitored at the University of Maryland Medical Center for signs that his body is rejecting a heart received from a genetically modified pig. He was doing well Thursday, hospital officials said.

The assault occurred April 30, 1988, when Shumaker, 22, was having a drink at a bar and talking with Bennett’s wife. In an apparent fit of jealousy, Bennett stabbed Shumaker in the back repeatedly.

The assault and its aftermath devastated Shumaker's family, Downey said. “It crushed my parents,” she said. “It was just hell.”

Bennett was charged with assault, battery and maiming with intent to murder, according to court records obtained by The New York Times, but was convicted on lesser charges of battery and carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay Shumaker $29,824 in restitution, but Downey said he did not comply.

In an attempt to recover his substantial medical costs, Shumaker and his family sued Bennett and were awarded $3.4 million in damages, court records show. Downey said the family never received any money.

“The transplant gave him life,” Downey said of Bennett. “But my brother never got a second chance at life. Ed struggled every day for 19 years. No one deserves what he went through.”

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/western-diet-responsible-for-global-rise-of-autoimmune-diseases-say-researchers-443537" hreflang="en">Western diet responsible for global rise of autoimmune diseases, say researchers</a>

But Bennett’s doctors said that such unsettling histories do not disqualify patients from getting cutting-edge medical procedures.

Officials at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where the transplant operation was performed, said in a statement that health care providers were committed to treating all patients, regardless of their backgrounds or life circumstances.

“It is the solemn obligation of any hospital or health care organization to provide lifesaving care to every patient who comes through their doors based on their medical needs,” the officials said.

“Any other standard of care would set a dangerous precedent and would violate the ethical and moral values that underpin the obligation physicians and caregivers have to all patients in their care.”

Through the medical center, David Bennett Jr., who was a young boy when the assault took place, declined to comment on his father’s criminal background.

“I do not wish to speak about my father’s past,” he said in a statement provided through the University of Maryland. “My intent is to focus on the groundbreaking surgery and my father’s wish to contribute to the science and potentially to save patient lives in the future.”

Doctors do not usually vet patients for whether they are deserving of treatment, said Karen J. Maschke, a research scholar at the Hastings Center and editor of Ethics &amp; Human Research.

“There’s a long-standing standard in medical ethics that physicians don’t pick and choose who they treat,” she said. The question has arisen in the context of incarcerated people and enemies in war, and more recently people with COVID who chose not to get vaccinated, she noted.

“Where would you draw the line if you picked and chose?” Maschke asked.

The outrage expressed on social media toward the elder Bennett is not justified, argued Arthur Caplan, professor of bioethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The transplant is not only the first of its kind, it is highly experimental and may well fail, he said.

“To be clear, he didn’t take a human organ from anybody,” Caplan said. “Nobody died because this guy got a pig heart.”

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Pig's heart transplanted into a human

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The heart transplanted into Bennett came from a genetically engineered pig provided by Revivicor, a regenerative medicine company in Blacksburg, Virginia.

The pig’s genome carried 10 modifications, including genes inactivated in order to reduce aggressive human rejection responses, and to prevent the heart from continuing to grow after it was implanted.

Six human genes were inserted to make the porcine organs more tolerable to the human immune system.

There is an acute shortage of organs for people with failing kidneys, hearts, lungs and other organs, and the hope is that perfecting the science of transplanting organs from genetically altered animals will usher in a new era when patients will no longer die while waiting for a replacement kidney or heart.

An ailing Maryland man who received a pig’s heart last week in a pioneering transplant procedure has a criminal record stemming from an assault 34 years ago in which he repeatedly stabbed a young man, leaving him paralyzed.

An ailing Maryland man who received a pig’s heart last week in a pioneering transplant procedure has a criminal record stemming from an assault 34 years ago in which he repeatedly stabbed a young man, leaving him paralyzed. The victim, Edward Shumaker, spent nearly two decades in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down, and suffered numerous medical complications including a stroke that left him cognitively impaired, before he died in 2007 at age 40, according to his sister, Leslie Shumaker Downey, of Frederick, Maryland. The Washington Post first reported the transplant patient’s criminal record and the assault that led to it on Thursday. The revelations have prompted debate about how patients are selected for cutting-edge medical care. Also read | In a first, man gets genetically modified pig heart in transplant The patient, David Bennett Sr., 57, is being closely monitored at the University of Maryland Medical Center for signs that his body is rejecting a heart received from a genetically modified pig. He was doing well Thursday, hospital officials said. The assault occurred April 30, 1988, when Shumaker, 22, was having a drink at a bar and talking with Bennett’s wife. In an apparent fit of jealousy, Bennett stabbed Shumaker in the back repeatedly. The assault and its aftermath devastated Shumaker's family, Downey said. “It crushed my parents,” she said. “It was just hell.” Bennett was charged with assault, battery and maiming with intent to murder, according to court records obtained by The New York Times, but was convicted on lesser charges of battery and carrying a concealed weapon and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay Shumaker $29,824 in restitution, but Downey said he did not comply. In an attempt to recover his substantial medical costs, Shumaker and his family sued Bennett and were awarded $3.4 million in damages, court records show. Downey said the family never received any money. “The transplant gave him life,” Downey said of Bennett. “But my brother never got a second chance at life. Ed struggled every day for 19 years. No one deserves what he went through.” Also read: Western diet responsible for global rise of autoimmune diseases, say researchers But Bennett’s doctors said that such unsettling histories do not disqualify patients from getting cutting-edge medical procedures. Officials at the University of Maryland Medical Center, where the transplant operation was performed, said in a statement that health care providers were committed to treating all patients, regardless of their backgrounds or life circumstances. “It is the solemn obligation of any hospital or health care organization to provide lifesaving care to every patient who comes through their doors based on their medical needs,” the officials said. “Any other standard of care would set a dangerous precedent and would violate the ethical and moral values that underpin the obligation physicians and caregivers have to all patients in their care.” Through the medical center, David Bennett Jr., who was a young boy when the assault took place, declined to comment on his father’s criminal background. “I do not wish to speak about my father’s past,” he said in a statement provided through the University of Maryland. “My intent is to focus on the groundbreaking surgery and my father’s wish to contribute to the science and potentially to save patient lives in the future.” Doctors do not usually vet patients for whether they are deserving of treatment, said Karen J. Maschke, a research scholar at the Hastings Center and editor of Ethics & Human Research. “There’s a long-standing standard in medical ethics that physicians don’t pick and choose who they treat,” she said. The question has arisen in the context of incarcerated people and enemies in war, and more recently people with COVID who chose not to get vaccinated, she noted. “Where would you draw the line if you picked and chose?” Maschke asked. The outrage expressed on social media toward the elder Bennett is not justified, argued Arthur Caplan, professor of bioethics at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The transplant is not only the first of its kind, it is highly experimental and may well fail, he said. “To be clear, he didn’t take a human organ from anybody,” Caplan said. “Nobody died because this guy got a pig heart.” Watch | Gravitas: Pig's heart transplanted into a human The heart transplanted into Bennett came from a genetically engineered pig provided by Revivicor, a regenerative medicine company in Blacksburg, Virginia. The pig’s genome carried 10 modifications, including genes inactivated in order to reduce aggressive human rejection responses, and to prevent the heart from continuing to grow after it was implanted. Six human genes were inserted to make the porcine organs more tolerable to the human immune system. There is an acute shortage of organs for people with failing kidneys, hearts, lungs and other organs, and the hope is that perfecting the science of transplanting organs from genetically altered animals will usher in a new era when patients will no longer die while waiting for a replacement kidney or heart.

Patient in ground-breaking heart transplant has a violent criminal record

In what can be called a first-of-its-kind surgery, a man in the US has got a genetically modified pig heart in transplant. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The 57-year-old man is doing well three days after the operation, University of Maryland Medicine said in a news release on Monday. &nbsp;

The man, who belongs to Maryland, had terminal heart disease. According to release, the pig heart was "the only currently available option" for the patient, David Bennett. &nbsp;

On review of medical records, he was deemed ineligible for an artificial heart pump or a conventional heart transplant. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researcher-says-insomnia-is-remnant-of-biphasic-sleep-not-a-disorder-443715" hreflang="en">Researcher says insomnia is remnant of biphasic sleep, not a disorder</a>

Before the surgery, Bennett said, "It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it's a shot in the dark, but it's my last choice." &nbsp;&nbsp;

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UMMC performs first-of-its-kind surgery successfully transplanting a genetically-modified pig heart to terminal heart disease patient. Learn more: <a href="https://t.co/2LfCe9Nc4k">https://t.co/2LfCe9Nc4k</a> <a href="https://t.co/ycgKYSYtWm">pic.twitter.com/ycgKYSYtWm</a>
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On December 31, the US Food and Drug Administration had granted emergency authorisation for the operation. &nbsp;

To make it work, three genes, which are responsible for rejection of pig organs by human immune systems, were removed from the pig. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/western-diet-responsible-for-global-rise-of-autoimmune-diseases-say-researchers-443537" hreflang="en">Western diet responsible for global rise of autoimmune diseases, say researchers</a>

To avert excessive pig heart tissue growth, another gene was taken out. Not just this, six human genes responsible for acceptance of immune system were added. &nbsp;

The doctors will monitor him for some time to see if the transplant works. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In what can be called a first-of-its-kind surgery, a man in the US has got a genetically modified pig heart in transplant. The 57-year-old man is doing well three days after the operation, University of Maryland Medicine said in a news release on Monday.

In what can be called a first-of-its-kind surgery, a man in the US has got a genetically modified pig heart in transplant. The 57-year-old man is doing well three days after the operation, University of Maryland Medicine said in a news release on Monday. The man, who belongs to Maryland, had terminal heart disease. According to release, the pig heart was "the only currently available option" for the patient, David Bennett. On review of medical records, he was deemed ineligible for an artificial heart pump or a conventional heart transplant. Also Read: Researcher says insomnia is remnant of biphasic sleep, not a disorder Before the surgery, Bennett said, "It was either die or do this transplant. I want to live. I know it's a shot in the dark, but it's my last choice." UMMC performs first-of-its-kind surgery successfully transplanting a genetically-modified pig heart to terminal heart disease patient. Learn more: https://t.co/2LfCe9Nc4k pic.twitter.com/ycgKYSYtWm — Univ. of Maryland Medical Center (@UMMC) January 10, 2022 × On December 31, the US Food and Drug Administration had granted emergency authorisation for the operation. To make it work, three genes, which are responsible for rejection of pig organs by human immune systems, were removed from the pig. Also Read: Western diet responsible for global rise of autoimmune diseases, say researchers To avert excessive pig heart tissue growth, another gene was taken out. Not just this, six human genes responsible for acceptance of immune system were added. The doctors will monitor him for some time to see if the transplant works. (With inputs from agencies)

In a first, man gets genetically modified pig heart in transplant

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