Necrotizing Enterocolitis from Microbial Hydrogen Sulfide Intoxication

Project Summary:

Despite decades of media attention and governmental efforts focused on the root causes of prematurity, premature births remain common and are associated with lower socioeconomic status and racial inequity. The rate of premature births is three-times higher among African Americans in Wisconsin. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal complication of prematurity, affecting 5-15% of premature infants. NEC means “dead bowel” and often leads to surgical removal of the gangrene. Surgery for NEC is 50% fatal. Peculiarly and at considerable anatomic distance (gut to brain), NEC regularly causes developmental delays and spasticity.

There has been no change in NEC outcomes—disease or death—for decades, leading the researchers involved in this project to seek a new mechanism and new solutions. They expect this study to initiate a paradigm shift, with diagnostics and therapeutics being close to “off the shelf” and readily available to benefit Wisconsin residents in future trials with minimal delays.