New Study: Common Hospital Infection Could Trigger Alzheimer’s

Florida State researchers discovered that gut bacteria, like Klebsiella pneumoniae, may reach the brain and exacerbate

The research suggests that when antibiotics disrupt the gut, it can lead to issues not just in the gut but also in the brain. Using a preclinical mouse model, researchers showed that antibiotic exposure depletes gut bacterial diversity and causes microbiome imbalance, which promotes the proliferation of K. pneumoniae by creating a favorable niche.

Implications for Hospital-Acquired Infections and Alzheimer’s Risk

When this happens, K. pneumoniae can move from the gut into the bloodstream by passing through the gut lining and eventually reach the brain, triggering neuroinflammation and neurocognitive impairment.

The findings emphasize the potential risk hospital-acquired infections like K. pneumoniae may pose in the development of neurodegenerative diseases.

“Hospital-acquired and septic infections are one of the risk factors that may increase the predispositions to future neuroinflammatory and neurocognitive impairments, especially in older adults,” Nagpal said.

The study highlights the need for innovative therapeutic approaches to combat the rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, in addition to existing amyloid and tau protein therapies. Further research could provide insight into preventive strategies aimed at managing hospital-acquired pathogens and preserving cognitive health in aging populations.

Reference: “An Enteric Bacterial Infection Triggers Neuroinflammation and Neurobehavioral Impairment in 3xTg-AD Transgenic Mice” by Gwoncheol Park, Saurabh Kadyan, Nathaniel Hochuli, Gloria Salazar, Orlando Laitano, Paramita Chakrabarty, Philip A Efron, M Ammar Zafar, Aaron Wilber and Ravinder Nagpal, 10 September 2024, The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiae165

The research was funded by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Florida Department of Health.