New Delhi: Amid the rising viruses and bacteria spreading across the globe, the world has been dealing with the multifaceted burden of diseases. Recently, a deadly bacteria has been discovered by scientists who have a taste for human blood. This phenomenon is also known as “bacterial vampirism” in which these bacteria are attracted to the liquid part of the blood or serum, a team of researchers from Washington State University (WSU) revealed.
As per the researchers, these traits are found in bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that cause food diseases. The study has been conducted to focus on these microorganisms that can move so deftly from the gut to the blood where they can be fatal.
The research has been published in the journal eLife. As per NBC News, some bacteria that mainly cause bloodstream infections sense a chemical in human blood and swim toward it. Researchers revealed that the pathogen seemed to be particularly drawn towards serine, an amino acid detected in human blood that is also a common ingredient found in protein drinks.
Microorganisms took less than a minute to find the serum
The researchers simulated intestinal bleeding by injecting microscopic amounts of human serum and saw the bacteria navigate toward the source. The microorganisms took less than a minute to find the serum.
According to researcher Arden Baylink, a professor at WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine bacteria infecting the bloodstream can be deadly. Some of the bacteria most commonly cause bloodstream infections sense a chemical in human blood and swim towards it.
How do these bacteria enter the bloodstream?
Bacteria like Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Citrobacter koseri are attracted to human serum. As per the study, these bacteria are a leading cause of death for death who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with an incidence rate of about 1 per cent of the population. These patients experience intestinal bleeding that can be an entry point for these bacteria into the bloodstream.
The article originally appeared on News Nine.