In a recent Frontiers in Veterinary Science article, Penn State researchers discovered that a sugar solution may prove to have the same effects as treating certain diseases with antibiotics. In efforts to cut down on antibiotic use on farms and battle rapidly evolving antimicrobial resistance, researchers are on the hunt for alternatives, which can also help the farm’s bottom line.
This study compared two different treatments for metritis, a uterine disease that can significantly affect a dairy cow. With a mission to rely on something other than antibiotics for treatment, researchers focused on using an intrauterine dextrose sugar solution as a possible treatment to metritis. “Dextrose has been extensively studied in animal and human clinical research for its ability to plasmolyze harmful bacteria. Essentially, the strong sugar solution pulls water out of the bacteria, causing them to dry out and die,” said the researchers.
The study focused on a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania with 77 cows diagnosed with clinical metritis. Cows were assigned to one of two treatment groups: intrauterine dextrose or systemic ceftiofur. Researchers focused on cow recovery and analyzed uterine microbial communities using DNA sequencing. It was found that both treatments saw similar clinical cure rates and revealed that dextrose has minimal impact on the bacterial balance of the reproductive tract. On the other hand, antibiotic use may lead to long lasting effects on a cow’s microbial population.
The use of sugar-based treatment isn’t just for cows, though. Researchers are optimistic that this treatment could potentially be beneficial for reproductive disease in human medicine. “Further research is needed to understand the full potential of dextrose as an alternative antibiotic treatment,” noted the researchers.
