Gut Bugs Could Affect Kidney Disease: Study

According to a recent study, gut bacteria could have a bearing on how kidney disease, caused by melamine poisoning, turns out. In 2008, nearly 300,000 Chinese children were hospitalised with kidney disease brought on by powdered milk contaminated with melamine to boost protein content.

Although melamine was known to combine with uric acid in children's bodies to produce harmful kidney stones, details of the reaction and the role of specific gut microbes were not well understood, the journal Science Translational Medicine reports.

Kidney Failure due to Melamine Toxicity
Adulteration of food with melamine results in the formation of kidney stones and kidney failure, even leading to death.

Researchers led by Wei Jia at the University of North Carolina studied how melamine contributes to the development of kidney stones in rats.

The formation of kidney stones occurs when melamine reacts with cyanuric acid in the kidneys to form crystals, which cannot be dissolved in the bloodstream.

The study says certain species of gut microbes are responsible for converting melamine into toxic cyanuric acid, thereby accelerating the rate at which kidney stones are formed.

Quiz on Kidney Stones
Kidney stones or calculus produces the most severe form of pain in humans. The pain has often been described to be worse than childbirth, broken bones, gunshot wounds, burns, or surgery. Once you form a kidney stone you are always susceptible to another stone. Take this quiz to find out how much do you know about stone disease. Once you complete find out how you fared compared to others who have taken the quiz.

According to a University of North California statement, tests on rats showed that microbes of the Klebsiella family tended to facilitate the process of melamine conversion, potentially making them key players in the formation of kidney stones.

This study suggests that toxicity in this case is linked to the make-up of gut microbes in the poisoned organism.

Kidney stones - Colics due to a moving Kidney stone
Interactive section of Medindia explains Colics due to a moving Kidney stone

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Chemical in Melamine Tableware can Cause Health Problems
There is a possibility that the chemical melamine, found in bowls, plates and other types of tableware could somehow get into our food and cause a range of health problems,