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Zinc can block bacteria causing infectious diseases: study-
Melbourne: Australian scientists have found that zinc could play a vital role in blocking a deadly bacteria that has the potential to cause pneumonia, meningitis and other serious infectious diseases.
In a research conducted by universities of Adelaide and Queensland, it has been found that zinc stops the streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria from taking up manganese, an essential metal that is needed to cause disease in humans.
Streptococcus pneumoniae can cause pneumonia, meningitis and other serious infectious diseases but the study saw that zinc appeared to 'jam shut' a key protein transporter in the organism, AAP news agency reported.
'It's long been known that zinc plays an important role in the body's ability to protect against bacterial infection, but this is the first time anyone has been able to show how zinc actually blocks an essential pathway causing the bacteria to starve,' project leader Christopher McDevitt said.
'Without manganese, these bacteria can easily be cleared by the immune system,' McDevitt said, adding, the research will help with design of the next generation of antibacterial agents.
