Endometriosis: Are We Heading Close To An Antibiotic Treatment?

Endometriosis derives from the term ‘endometrium’, the tissue that lines the uterus. Endometriosis is a condition that affects women, and it happens when a similar tissue starts to grow outside the uterus. It is usually challenging to diagnose and can sometimes cause severe complications. Also, the extra tissue responds to the hormones just as the endometrial tissue lining the uterus will do. The affected person can experience pain and unusual bleeding.

The disease is a chronic condition associated with severe, life-impacting pain during periods, painful bowel movements, chronic pelvic pain, bloating, and in some cases, can lead to infertility. A study has found that nearly two-thirds of patients with endometriosis have elevated levels of some bacteria around their uterus compared to 10 per cent who don’t have the condition. An experiment found that administering antibiotics reduced this bacteria and the formation of lesions, which is expected in the situation.

Currently, there is no cure for endometriosis up till yet, and the treatment is usually aimed at treating the symptoms rather than the condition itself. The tissue is non-cancerous but can lead to scarring and adhesions. The researchers in a study found that targeting a specific bacterium might reduce the lesions associated with the condition. However, the experiment was done on mice, and it is yet to be understood whether the medicine will have the same effects on human beings.

The study found that among the people having endometriosis, 64.3 per cent of them had higher levels of the bacteria in their uterine endometrial tissue, and 52.4 per cent had higher levels of the bacteria in the endometrial tissue found outside the uterus.

While the reason why this bacterium might be attacking a few people is unknown, the discovery, if valid in human beings, can lead to a possible treatment for the condition.

As per reports, the study is incomplete since it has not been conducted on human beings. Moreover, mice lack a menstrual cycle. Moreover, as quoted experts, the study lacks evidence that Fusobacterium around the uterus promotes endometriosis. An antibiotic treatment could be implemented for the condition if the relationship is established.

Until now, the treatments for the condition include hormone therapy and surgery (where the unwanted tissue can be removed)