Antibiotics weaken flu defenses in the lung

[Swordsmyth]

Antibiotics can leave the lung vulnerable to flu viruses, leading to significantly worse infections and symptoms, finds a new study. The research discovered that signals from gut bacteria help to maintain a first line of defense in the lining of the lung. When mice with healthy gut bacteria were infected with the flu, around 80% of them survived. However, only a third survived if they were given antibiotics before being infected.

More at: https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0702112834.htm

[Zippyjuan]

Flu is caused by viruses which antibiotics can't cure anyways.

[juleswin]

Flu is caused by viruses which antibiotics can't cure anyways.

From the OP

The research discovered that signals from gut bacteria help to maintain a first line of defense in the lining of the lung

And we all know antibiotics kill gut bacteria. I have been guilty of this myself but read the short OP before commenting

[Zippyjuan]

From the OP



And we all know antibiotics kill gut bacteria. I have been guilty of this myself but read the short OP before commenting

Just saying people with the flu should not be taking antibiotics anyways since it won't help them. That antibiotics harm gut bacteria has been known for a while now.

[brushfire]

Just saying people with the flu should not be taking antibiotics anyways since it won't help them. That antibiotics harm gut bacteria has been known for a while now.

Its just pointing out an unintended consequence of taking antibiotics either passively (via meat/dairy), or actively through medication to address other illnesses. People/physicians are sometimes reckless with taking antibiotics as part of diagnosis, rather than treatment.

Going out on a slight tangent - our current system of industrial farming is not sustainable without the prophylactic use of antibiotics (Joel Salatin). The government, who is supposedly there to keep our food safe, is promoting/enabling these industrial farms and their abuse. The same government is also being weaponized against the small competitors of the industrial farm, who manage their livestock in a natural/sustainable/responsible manner.

[juleswin]

Just saying people with the flu should not be taking antibiotics anyways since it won't help them. That antibiotics harm gut bacteria has been known for a while now.

No doctor in their right mind would prescribe antibiotics for the flu. Yes, antibiotic affecting gut bacteria has been know but the connection between that and making a patient more susceptible to the flu is a new discovery.

[Intoxiklown]

Just saying people with the flu should not be taking antibiotics anyways since it won't help them. That antibiotics harm gut bacteria has been known for a while now.

A fairly common treatment for patients testing positive for flu in certain risk groups is zithromax (z-pac), as a hedge against bacterial pneumonia. Don't forget....more times than not, it's not the flu itself that kills you...it's the secondary conditions.