In a new study, researchers at the University of Copenhagen have been cultivating 'good viruses' from feces. The goal is to replace fecal capsules now being used in so-called fecal transplants. Their new technique has shown potential in studies with mice and the hope is that it will improve this life-saving treatment through standardization and pave its way toward mainstream medicine.
Most people get vaccinated without considering that the history of vaccinations began when fluid was extracted from the pus filled blisters of sick cows. Similarly, modern-day penicillin is far from its origins -; a mold in Alexander Fleming's petri dish teeming with staphylococci. Another form of life-saving medicine is experiencing a similar evolution: Fecal transplants, in which human fecal material is transferred from one person to another, save hundreds of lives every year in Denmark alone.
But in the future, the treatment could become a cleaner remedy with much broader potential -; far removed from the feces that is its starting point. Ultimately, our hope is to have a product that is free of bacteria and potentially harmful viruses, leaving only a purified dose of good viruses, called bacteriophages, that can potentially fight various gastrointestinal disorders and, in the long term, be used to treat a wide range of health issues." Torben Sølbeck Rasmussen, Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen Rasmussen is leading the new research together with depart.