• Typhoid, which is caused by Salmonella Typhimurium, is well recognized as a serious hazard to public health, particularly in India.

• This bacterium has developed resistance because of the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, which presents a significant challenge in the treatment of diseases.

• A study  published in the Redox Biology Journal explores the Process :
  1. Spermidine triggers various antioxidant responses in Salmonella, regulating key genes to mitigate oxidative stress.
  2. The bacteria mutants lacking spermidine transport and synthesis show high ROS levels, leading to reduced phagocytosis by macrophages, and decreased survival under oxidative stress and in mouse infection models.

• The study found that an FDA-approved drug DFMO (difluoromethylornithine), which inhibits host polyamine biosynthesis, reduces Salmonella infection and tissue damage in mice, improving survival rates.

• This study conducted at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India, opens the scope for further research in humans to determine its effectiveness.

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