03 Jan 2020 --- Following a plant-based diet might protect from foodborne gastrointestinal (GI) infection, according to a mouse study from the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern. Mice fed a plant-rich diet were found less susceptible to GI infection from a pathogen such as the one currently under investigation for a widespread E. coli outbreak in the US tied to romaine lettuce. The strain of E. coli, known as EHEC, causes debilitating and potentially deadly inflammation in the colon with symptoms such as bloody diarrhea and vomiting. The researchers hope the study results will boost the development of drugs and vaccines against these pathogens.
