Possible Way to Prevent E. coli Deaths Is Seen

Researchers say they have moved a step closer to developing what could be the first drug to save the lives of victims of an especially dangerous strain of E. coli.

Infections from a strain called O157:H7 kill 250 people in the United States each year, many of them children 5 and younger. The bacteria produce a poison that works its way into the bloodstream and damages the kidneys.

Researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada have created a new “inhibitor”: a five-limbed molecule armed with 10 grippers that are designed to grab the toxins and escort them out of the body. Its designers call it “Starfish.”

In test-tube experiments, Starfish appears to be far more effective than the other inhibitors undergoing testing.

There are no vaccines or inhibitors for human E. coli infections, and doctors say there is not much they can do to treat the related kidney disorder besides giving patients dialysis and blood transfusions.

The researchers say Starfish shows promise, but they are still testing its effectiveness in humans.

The study was published in today’s issue of the journal Nature.

Starfish works because of its design. Each inhibitor molecule can latch onto two toxin molecules, preventing them from binding to the body’s cells. With its multiple arms, Starfish binds to the toxins 1 million to 10 million times more tightly than other inhibitors being tested, Bundle said.

E. coli became a major health concern in the 1980s and ‘90s after deadly outbreaks, many of them blamed on undercooked hamburgers. About 70,000 Americans are infected annually.