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Milk bug 'stops our bodies from fighting off Crohn's disease'
Last updated at 15:52pm on 11.12.07
Bacteria that causes crohn's disease may be able to make their way into the body's system via cows' milk and other dairy products
A link between a bug found in some fresh milk and Crohn's disease has been established by breakthrough research.
The discovery could bring demands to change milk production methods - perhaps following the common European practice of Ultra Heat Treatment (UHT).
It could also provide the key to antibiotic treatments for the condition, which affects approximately 150,000 Britons.
Doctors have long claimed that a bug called Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (MAP), which is found in cattle and some milk, causes Crohn's.
But the dairy industry has never accepted the link and researchers had failed to prove a connection.
Now scientists at Liverpool University have identified how MAP weakens the body's defence mechanism and so allows other harmful bugs, specifically e.coli, to thrive.
This e.coli, which is known to be present within Crohn's disease tissue in increased amounts, is believed to cause inflammation and sickness.
Crohn's leads to chronic intestinal inflammation, pain, bleeding and diarrhoea. It is a particularly distressing condition among children.
Professor Jon Rhodes, whose work was published in the journal Gastroenterology, said: "MAP has been found within Crohn's disease tissue but there has been much controversy concerning its role in the disease."
He added that MAP releases a complex molecule which prevents white blood cells from killing e.coli.
Professor John Hermon-Taylor, Britain's leading expert on Crohn's, called for a mass vaccination of cattle against becoming infected with MAP in the first place.
He said ultra heat treatment of milk might kill the infection but it would not be a guarantee.
The Dairy Council, which speaks for milk producers, said a number of studies had failed to show a causal link between MAP in milk and Crohn's.
Its director, Dr Judith Bryans, said: "While the findings of the study are interesting, it is important to stress that not all Crohn's patients have MAP in their intestines.
"This would suggest that there are additional factors which may cause Crohn's disease."
She added: "There is no need for anyone to alter their consumption of milk based on current scientific knowledge."
• Research in 2000 found that 2.1 per cent of pasteurised milk taken from eight dairies across Britain contained MAP.
With more than 10billion pints of milk drunk every year - that equates to 575,342 tainted pints a day.
There are 5,000 new cases of Crohn's a year. Ninety per cent of sufferers will need surgery at some stage to tackle the serious bowel complications it causes.
Stress is thought to exacerbate the illness.
Sufferers include television voice-coach Carrie Grant, actor Ken Stott and singer Beth Orton.
Reader views (5)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
This is an interesting link, but the culprit just is not MAP. How come when most patients are immunology suppressed, the MAP infection doesn't get worse? Can MAP cause genetic mutations as seen with 1/5 of Crohn's patients?
Your digestive system is a large component of your overall immune system, which means that things like "diarrhea " really are not just particular to IBD. The symptoms in cows (who first off are less of a DNA genome match to humans than fruit flies) resembles that of Crohn's isn't as big of a deal as these articles lead people to believe.
Crohn's also isn't just an intestinal problem. Can MAP cause the other manifestations throughout the body? I highly doubt it...
- Christina, Chatham, U.S.
Having suffered with Crohn's for the last 15 years I have found that the only way to control my condition without steroid treatment is to avoid dairy produce. For me at least it does appear that there is a link with dairy consumtion and flare ups of my Crohn's. In the past 10 years I have had to have 3 major operations as a result of which I have had my whole large intestine removed and several smaller sections of my small intestine have also been removed.
For myself and many other sufferers avoiding dairy does help reduce symptoms although when I was working off shore on oil rigs they used UHT with which I have had no problems. I realise that the comment from Les holds some truth that having new processes may affect farmers in the short term but could be a vital role in helping reduce and in the future overcome the issue of Crohn's. If you have never suffered from any IBS conditions then it would be very difficult to comprehend how debilitating it can be I am sure for those that have suffered this will be a welcome break through.
- George, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, UK
Not convinced - it doesn't explain why only 150,00 Britons have the disease and not the whole population. Surely consuming milk would aggravate the condition? A teaser for you though, I had a relapse when I as pregnant with my son 9 years ago but since giving birth I've had no problems with either my Crohn's or Colitis. The only symptom I've had is the debilitating tiredness.
- S Turner, Peterborough, UK
What I don't understand is why UHT tastes so foul in the UK but is nice in France.
- Roz, Chamonix, France
Pure co-incidence that just recently the government was talking about changing the way milk is processed. Which would also be to the detriment of our farmers and the benefit of EU farmers. Pure co-incidence.
- Les, Essex, UK
