Scientific hope in superbug threat

SCIENTISTS studying the workings of a potentially fatal superbug have made a huge breakthrough that they hope will help identify patients most susceptible to infection.

Researchers at Dublin City University (DCU) believe their studies on how the human body responds to the bug known as Clostridium Difficile (C difficile) — responsible for twice as many deaths in the UK as MRSA — will ultimately lead to huge advances in prevention and treatment.

“Essentially the recent research has identified the mechanism by which your immune system recognises the bug and this may provide vital information about the susceptibility of certain patients to infection, as well as shedding light on why some people recover quickly and others — particularly the elderly and the immunocompromised — develop a long chronic illness,” said Dr Christine Loscher, School of Biotechnology, DCU.