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Aug 12, 2019

Superbug is evolving to thrive in guts of people with sugary diets, scientists warn

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

The sugar-rich Western diet is fueling a superbug which has evolved to thrive in hospitals, scientists have warned.

The gut-infecting bacterium Clostridium difficile (C.diff) is evolving into two separate species, with one group increasingly adapting to live in the guts of people with poor diets, while growing ever better at avoiding the harsh disinfectants used to clean wards.

More than 13,000 NHS patients each year are infected with C.diff, which can cause debilitating diarrhoea and leave sick people dangerously dehydrated.

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