Projects of the One Health Region Vorpommern

MDR-Dekol

Intestinal decolonization of multidrug-resistant pathogens through the combined use of natural compounds, probiotics and vaccines

Reduction of multidrug-resistant pathogens

Our project focuses on developing a reliable and sustainable method to decolonize multidrug-resistant bacteria from the intestinal tract of livestock and humans.

We are living in a post-antibiotic era in which bacteria are increasingly resistant to a wide range of antibiotics, and some infections can no longer be treated reliably. To ensure effective treatment of humans and animals infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria, there is an urgent need for alternatives to conventional antibacterial agents and for new preventive measures.

Zahlreiche Studien zeigen, dass antimikrobielle Resistenzen zu einem globalen Problem geworden sind und dass im Jahr 2019 schätzungsweise 4 Millionen Menschen an Infektionen mit antibiotikaresistenten Bakterien gestorben sind. Die Persistenz insbesondere von multiresistenten Bakterien im Darm von Mensch und Tier scheint dabei eine wichtige Rolle zu spielen. Solche „schlechten“ Bakterien können das empfindliche Gleichgewicht des Mikrobioms stören und sich so auch Nischen erobern, in denen Bakterien nichts zu suchen haben (z.B. im Harntrakt). Zudem können sich multiresistente Bakterien schnell von Mensch zu Mensch ausbreiten.

In the MDR DEKOL project (MDR = multidrug-resistant; DEKOL = decolonization), measures are being investigated and developed to remove multidrug-resistant pathogens from the intestinal tract of humans and animals by combining the following approaches:

Natural compounds (e.g. flavonoids) to reduce biofilm formation by pathogens

Probiotics to increase competitive pressure from beneficial bacteria

Vaccines to specifically prevent the adhesion of pathogens to the intestinal mucosa

With these approaches, the researchers hope to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens without harming the healthy gut microbiota.

The transfer of knowledge from basic research at the University of Greifswald (UG) and the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) into concrete applications at the company CEVA is intended to ensure local value creation and thereby enable structural change in the region. In the long term, the production of various products—such as vaccines, therapeutics and feed additives—for the decolonization of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens in animals and humans is to be established. The economic potential of such a development is considerable, as the products to be developed have global markets. At the same time, this creates opportunities for existing economic sectors within the T!Raum One Health to participate in the value chain. With project partner CEVA, local capacity and expertise for vaccine production are already in place. In addition, the natural compounds targeted in the project to reduce biofilm formation by MDR pathogens are derived from medicinal plants that could be cultivated by local farmers.