Fasting Guards Against Foodborne Infections

Fasting May Protect Against Infections From Foodborne Diseases Such As Salmonella

Fasting before and during exposure to Salmonella enterica microorganisms protects mice from developing a full-on infection, partially as a result of changes in the pets’ digestive tract microbiomes, according to a new study published in PLOS Pathogens by Bruce Vallance as well as associates at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

Fasting Protects Against Salmonella Infection in Mice

Loss of appetite often occurs in people or animals who developed an infection. However, it remains questionable whether fasting secures a host from infection or raises their susceptibility. In the brand-new study, mice were fasted for two days before and during oral infection with the microorganisms Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, a typical cause of foodborne ailment in people.

Fasting reduced the signs of bacterial infection compared to fed mice, including nearly getting rid of all intestinal tract tissue damage and swelling. When fasted pets were re-fed for a day after their fast, there was a significant increase in Salmonella numbers and invasion into the intestinal wall surfaces. However, the linked inflammation was still undermined compared to the norm.

Fasting’s Impact on Gut Microbiome and Infections

When the mice were exposed to Salmonella intravenously rather than by mouth, different results appeared. Evaluations of the microbiomes of mice showed substantial modifications related to fasting and protection against infection. Furthermore, fasting did not fully shield germ-free mice (bred to have an atypical microbiome) from Salmonella, indicating that the protection, to a certain degree, was due to fasting’s impact on the microbiome. Experiments using the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni verified that the effect of fasting was not limited to Salmonella, with similar effects seen.

“The data implies that therapeutic fasting or calorie constraint has the prospective to modulate infectious as well as potentially non-infectious stomach diseases beneficially,” the researchers end.

The researchers add, “Our research study highlights the important function that food plays in regulating interactions in between the host, enteric pathogens, as well as the intestinal microbiome. When food is limited, the microbiome appears to withdraw the remaining nutrients, preventing pathogens from getting the energy to contaminate the host. While more study is required, fasting or otherwise changing food intake could be exploited therapeutically to modulate infectious diseases in the future.”

Reference: “Fasting increases microbiome-based colonization resistance and reduces host inflammatory responses during an enteric bacterial infection” by Franziska A. Graef, Larissa S. Celiberto, Joannie M. Allaire, Mimi T. Y. Kuan, Else S. Bosman, Shauna M. Crowley, Hyungjun Yang, Justin H. Chan, Martin Stahl, Hongbing Yu, Candice Quin, Deanna L. Gibson, Elena F. Verdu, Kevan Jacobson and Bruce A. Vallance, 5 August 2021, PLOS Pathogens.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009719