Dangerous side effect Antibiotics can increase the risk of pneumonia

Antibodies reduce possible side effects of antibiotics in the lungs

Antibiotics can weaken the lung defense system, increasing the risk of pneumonia. The drug administration of antibodies reduces this risk. The German researchers have now found out.

Medicines with unwanted side effects

Although the use of antibiotics is clinically necessary in the treatment of many diseases, it is often viewed critically. Finally, research has shown that such drugs are often prescribed only on suspicion and not infrequently associated with serious side effects. One of these undesirable side effects is the weakening of the body's natural bacterial flora. This may increase the risk of infection, for example in the lungs. It is known that one of the main causes of pneumonia is the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Researchers have shown that antibiotics can weaken the lung's defense system, increasing the risk of pneumonia. Their results indicate that this risk can be reduced by the drug administration of antibodies. (Image: Zerbor / fotolia.com)

Disruption of bacterial flora by antibiotics

Scientists at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now investigated the mechanisms that favor Pseudomonas infections after antibiotic therapies.

The research team around Prof. Dr. med. Bastian Opitz of the Charité's Department of Infectious Diseases and Pulmonology has demonstrated that antibiotic disruption of the bacterial flora leads to decreased production of certain antibodies in the lungs.

As stated in a communication, these IgA-type antibodies are an important defense option of the immune system against infection.

Antibiotics weaken the defense system of the lungs and make it easier for Pseudomonas bacteria to infect the lungs.

According to the information, this effect could also be demonstrated in an observational study with patients in intensive care units.

Risk can be reduced with specially prepared antibodies

The scientists have already succeeded in the animal model to reduce the susceptibility to a Pseudomonas lung infection with specially prepared antibodies of the type IgA.

"We want to better understand the influence of antibiotics on the natural bacterial flora and how this affects the defense mechanisms of the body and in particular the lungs," Prof. Opitz explains the other goals of the research and adds:

"And we want to investigate how and in what form IgA antibodies can be used preventively as well as therapeutically."

The researchers' study was recently published in the journal The Journal of Clinical Investigation. (Ad)