40% to 50% of the genetic information found in your GI tract does not match anything that's ever been classified before

[BayAreaChronie]

A Ted mentioning that 40% to 50% of the genetic information found in our GI tract does not match anything that's ever been classified before.
http://www.ted.com/talks/nathan_wolfe_what_s_left_to_explore/transcript

As hopeful as I am in wanting a cure for Crohn's in our lifetime, I just don't see it happening.
Mapping out the bacteria (which is more than likely what causes Crohn's) is just not possible at this time.
Sure studies are pointing to a reason for Crohn's, but once this is identified (maybe in our lifetime), the cure just seems too far out there at this time.
Hopefully, Crohn's can be identified from bacteria we have already mapped and then can be killed off/replaced. But it is tough to be optimistic when stats like this are not on our side.
Hate to be THAT guy, but this report really put the GI bacteria into further perspective and one that makes it very troubling for finding a cure.

 

[JMC]

If you read the latest research, and by that I mean papers published in 2014, the list of likely offenders which could be the cause of Crohn's disease is probably no more than half a dozen with two notably out in the lead as the most likely cause. Those two are Mycobacterium Avium sub-species Paratuberculosis (MAP) and Adherent Invasive E-Coli (AIEC).

The Qu Biologics SSI trial is a vaccine targeted at activating your immune system to kill AIEC and it seems to work. I was talking to someone on the trial yesterday and he said within a few weeks of starting the vaccine, his diarrhoea cleared up and he now has normal bowel movements! In a small scale trial 40% of people went into remission.

For MAP, there is already the Redhill Biopharma "triple therapy" of antibiotics and more excitingly, a vaccine developed by Prof John Herman-Taylor which again could activate your immune system to clear your body of MAP permanently. This is ready for trial, subject to raising the funding needed.

So, don't get down, I really believe we are nearly there.

 

[xeridea]

And though I could never find more specific study information, there was this article talking about initiatives to study 14 bacterial metabolites that may be behind CD. What struck me is that they gave such a specific number.

I am of the persuasion that CD is a disruption of normal macrophage or phagocytosis functions, caused by some pathogen such as MAP or AIEC. And I am hopeful that the MAP/SSI Vaccines hold promise to re-arm the immune system to restore these functions and arrest the disease.

Edit: The link doesn't work because the forum software auto-correct's the spelling of c-h-r-o-n-e-s within the link by hyphenating it to "Crohn's" instead. Here is a the article title which you can search instead.

"Harvard Philanthropist, Jeffrey Epstein Backs the First Preventative Treatment for Crohns Disease"

 

[sir.clausin]

xeridea: Could you please check your link to the article, it does not seem to work. Thanks

 

[rollinstone]

I agree w jmc, I think we're almost there, I also don't think crohns is one disease, it's idiopathic inflammation if the GI tract which no doubt can be caused by different things...