Aug 6, 2020
Researcher Brenda McManus is
leading a microbiology study to better understand periodontal
disease and foot ulcers in patients with diabetes.
She explains her microbial research by discussing
Dr. Brenda McManus is an
Experimental Officer in Microbiology in the School of Dental
Science at Trinity College in Dublin. She talks about her
microbiology study involving dental health, foot ulcers, and
diabetes with a focus on Staphylococci species. They’ve found bacteria in foot ulcers
that “shouldn’t be there,” and these same bacteria are present in
periodontal disease.
She establishes why patients who suffer from
diabetes struggle with foot ulcers and periodontal disease,
from such reasons as poor circulation or nerve damage from excess
glucose. This means they can’t feel an injury to the foot or
can’t feel pain when a wound is developing.
In addition, bacteria in
periodontal disease can cause pockets in the gums and swelling and
can ultimately lead to tooth loss. It is twice as common and more
severe in people who have
diabetes. She mentions additional research showing links
between periodontal disease and other diseases throughout the body
including heart and kidney disease. She describes her current
research and says her team is comparing genomic sequences of
different staph samples from the mouth, fingers, toes, and more,
identifying which species are in each site.
She adds that if they identify the same species in all the
different sites, they will compare the isolate genomes. If they are
the same, that would be very strong evidence that there is a link
between these sites. She describes next steps, therapeutic goals,
and the importance of awareness of periodontal health and disease
prevention.
For more, see her information on
the Trinity College website,
tcd.ie/research/profiles/?profile=bmcmanu, and find her on Research Gate and
LinkedIn.
Available on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2Os0myK